India vs Australia: Sunil Gavaskar suggests two changes in hosts' playing XI for second T20I

Australia gave high-flying India a timely reminder on Sunday by beating them in the first T20I. Despite being the underdogs, The visitors came up with a fine effort to inflict a defeat on the fancied hosts. On the sluggish Vizag track, the Indian batsmen with the exception of KL Rahul, who scored a 50 in his comeback game, failed to get going, thus managing just a modest total of 126 for 7.  The likes of Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik as well as MS Dhoni failed to bail India out of trouble.

Unlike the batsmen, the Indian bowlers, especially Jasprit Bumrah and Krunal Pandya, came up with a fine show. At one stage, it even looked like the Men in Blue are well on their way to win the game. But the score was never going to pose a tough challenge to Australia as the visitors won the thriller on the very final delivery of the game.

And as India gear up to get back to winning ways, former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar has suggested a couple of changes in the playing eleven in the second and final T20I in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He pointed out that three wicketkeepers in the team cost India some extra runs in the outfield. India had played Dhoni, Pant and Karthik in the series-opener. He also had a word of praise for Rahul after the opener played a much-needed big knock.

“The plus point for India is Rahul’s return to form and Markande showing good temperament under pressure. The fielding though with two wicketkeepers in the outfield meant that the extra run was always on for the Australians,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Times of India.

Suggesting his first change for the match, he batted for the inclusion of Shikhar Dhawan in the team in place of one of the three wicket-keeper batsmen. India would do well to bring Dhawan back and have Rahul at No.4. Umesh Yadav, despite being around for such a long time, is not convincing as a white-ball bowler, so India could well do with a replacement for him. Dinesh Karthik is also short of confidence after the last T20 game in New Zealand,” he added.

India’s record at Chinnaswamy

India, meanwhile, will be desperately trying to win the upcoming game to extend their unbeaten run in T20Is at home. India have lost a bilateral T20I series at home since the 2-0 loss against South Africa in 2015. The stats are also in India’s favour as far as playing in M Chinnaswamy is concerned. India won the last two T20Is they played at this venue and will be looking to make a hat-trick of victories.

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