India cricket team have decided to go with three spinners and three all-rounders for the IND vs AUS 1st T20I at the Manuka Oval. The Men in Blue have left out their leading wicket taker in T20Is – Arshdeep Singh- from the playing XI while Jasprit Bumrah will spearhead the pace attack. The three spinners in the XI include Axar, Kuldeep and Varun.
India playing XI for 1st T20I vs AUS
Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah
On bench: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh
India have made no changes to their top and middle-order from the Asia Cup 2025 where they last played a T20I. Sanju Samson has been slotted to bat at number 5, the new position that he has embraced after having lost the opener’s role to Shubman Gill. This means Jitesh will have to continue warming the bench.
Rana, considered as an all-format player, showed glimpses of his ability to bat lower down the order with a cameo in the IND vs AUS 2nd ODI. He has been slotted to bat at number 6 in the 1st T20I.
As for the bowlers, Kuldeep will spearhead the spin department alongside Axar and Varun Chakravarthy. The series will also mark the first time the Tamil Nadu mystery spinner will be playing in Australia.
IND vs AUS T20Is squads
Australia Squad: Mitchell Marsh(c), Travis Head, Matthew Short, Tim David, Josh Inglis(w), Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Philippe, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Ben Dwarshuis
India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jitesh Sharma
