Published: Feb 23, 2019, 05:07 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 23, 2019, 05:07 PM (IST)
The Indian cricket team has begun its preparation for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Australia which gets underway from Sunday in Visakhapatnam. (ALSO READ: Can BBL-powered Australia surprise India?)
The T20I squad sweated it out in the practice session a day before the series opener Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium on Saturda.
BCCI posted a video of former captain MS Dhoni going full throttle in the nets, belting shots and repeatedly stepping out indicating what’s in store.
Belting it at the nets @msdhoni 💥💥🔥👌🏻 #TeamIndia @Paytm #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/hRDZUE5MvX
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2019
India may have endured a small blip in the New Zealand T20s which they lost 1-2, but with Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli back in the squad, the pendulum swings right back in the host’s favour.
Allrounder Hardik Pandya has been ruled out, but Vijay Shankar, who has time and again stressed on the amount of confidence he gained from those couple of important knocks he played.
MOOD in the camp before the 1st T20I against Australia in Vizag #TeamIndia #INDvAUS @Paytm pic.twitter.com/eRuJSW9B8j
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 23, 2019
In Pandya’s absence, Shankar has another opportunity to impress the selectors. Mayank Markande becomes the X-factor in all this and going by India’s track record of handing players international debuts, the legspinner will nor remain uncapped by the end of the third game.
Depart ✈
Arrive 🛬
Train & sweat it out 💪🏻💪🏻#TeamIndia gear up for the 1st T20I in Vizag #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/Qv5tbFTQpw— BCCI (@BCCI) February 22, 2019
Squads
India: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (v-c), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Krunal Pandya, Vijay Shankar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Sidharth Kaul, Mayank Markande.
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), D’Arcy Short, Pat Cummins, Alex Carey, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa.
