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Pant to make way for Bhuvi: Predicting India's likely playing XI for T20I series decider against Australia

For tactical reasons in the second T20I, Team India dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar and included Rishabh Pant in the playing XI, but for the series decider on Sunday (September 25), the team is expected to bring back the senior pacer, who is also the country’s leading wicket taker in the shortest format of the game.

TN Sports Desk

Updated Sep 25, 2022, 10:58 IST

Rishabh Pant played 2nd T20I for India in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar but for the third game he is likely to make way for the senior pacer. Picture Credit: Twitter/@BCCI

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

Since the second T20I was an eight-over per side affair, India included Rishabh Pant to strengthen the batting in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
But with a full 20-over game expected on Sunday, the right-arm medium pacer is likely to be drafted back in.
The 32-year-old pacer is India’s leading wicket-taker in the shortest format of the game.

The third and final T20I of the three-match series between India and Australia will take place at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday (September 25). Both teams have won a game each in the series, and so the winner of Sunday’s contest will take the series.

The world's number one T20I team's batters have performed well in both the matches, but a lot more is expected from their bowlers, who have conceded many runs. Harshal Patel, who returned to competitive cricket after more than two months away, struggled to keep the Australian batters under control, conceding 81 runs in six overs in two matches.

Senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is India’s leading wicket-taker in the shortest format of the game, also went for runs in the series opener. But he is likely to be roped back into the side after missing the rain-hit second game for tactical reasons.

The second T20I was an eight-over affair, so in order to strengthen the batting, India included Rishabh Pant over him, but with a full 20-over game expected in Hyderabad, Bhuvneshwar is all but set to find his place in the playing XI again. Even if his death bowling is a cause of concern for India, there are not many bowlers in world cricket who can make better use of the new ball than him. He holds the record of taking the highest number of wickets in the powerplay overs.

So, keeping all these things in mind, he will find his place in the team and will partner Jasprit Bumrah with the new ball. The 28-year-old speedster was on fire in his first game since July 14 in Nagpur, and he bowled an excellent yorker to dismiss the Australian captain, Aaron Finch.

The rest of the team is likely to remain the same. KL Rahul is set to open alongside skipper Rohit Sharma, who was back to his brutal best in the second match. Virat Kohli, who has failed to build on his strong Asia Cup showing, would also like to step up on the big occasion and seal the game and series for India.

India’s likely playing XI for the 3rd T20I against Australia: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Panyda, Axar Patel, Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.

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