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India behind after MCG show
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Three games left in series
- Hobart pitch favours chaser
- Hazlewood out for hosts
- Short and Axar underrated
Australia v India
Sunday 3 November, 08.15
TV: Live on TNT
Australia v India Third T20 team news
Australia have rested Josh Hazlewood for the rest of the series as planned. He signed off with a brilliant display at the MCG to give Australia a 1-0 lead.
His replacement is Mahli Beardman, who has played only two T20s for Perth Scorchers. It is a pick based purely on ability to bowl raw pace. Beardman has aspirations to hit the the mid 90s in terms of mph.
Glenn Maxwell is also back in the squad. He might come in for Mitchell Owen. Adam Zampa looks as though he is sitting out for Matt Kuhnemann. Zampa has just become a father for a second time and a trip to Hobart might not suit.
Possible Australia XI: Marsh, Head, Inglis, David, Maxwell, Short, Stoinis, Bartlett, Ellis, Beardman, Kuhnemann
India will rightly blame poor shot selection for their hammering at the MCG. They failed to recognise bowler-friendly conditions and do the required hard graft to put something on the board they can defend.
Rinku Singh and Jitesh Sharma are two options if they want to punish the batting group but it wouldn't make much sense to make changes now just as players are adjusting to conditions. The default setting for India players, regardless of where they are, is to go hard. It's just the way they play.
If they are to make a switch it could be a surprise decision to drop Axar Patel. They played two spinners at the 'G and some might argue Rinku or Jitesh are more solid runs option.
Probable India XI: Ahbhishek, Gill, Sky, Samson, Tilak, Axar, Dube, Harshit, Kuldeep, Bumrah, Varun
Australia v India Third T20 pitch report
There have been eight night matches at Hobart, with seven producing a result. There is no discernible toss bias. The matches span 10 years from 2014 so the study sample is not hugely reliable. There were two games in 2024 and, irritatingly, wildly different affairs. Australia and West Indies both hit 200 as the Aussies defended. Then Pakistan were rolled for 117.
Domestically in the Bash we do get the study sample needed. Of 38 matches at night, 24 have been won by the chaser. That's 63%. The average score in the last 10 is 164 with eight chased. In the last 30 it's 166 with 16 chased. A high first-inning line in the late 170s could well be a short. No rain is forecast currently.
Australia v India Third T20 match prediction
India remain marginal favourites at 1.9520/21. With the absence of Hazlewood, India have a golden opportunity to level affairs with two matches to come after this one.
We still think they are the superior side, so long as they knuckle down and recognise that every now and again they will need to keep the big shots under wraps. if they do that there is enough talent and depth to put an Australia bowling line-up under pressure.
Here India have a clear edge. The Bumrah-Varun-Kuldeep axis might prove to be kryptonite to these Aussies at some stage in this series and we don't rule out an extreme unders of their own. It is very much a reserve Australia bowling team when you consider the big players missing.
As always, we will keep that toss bias on our side. India are the bet if they chase. We don't expect the odds to move post-toss.
Back India batting second
Australia v India Third T20 ODI player bets
There are a couple of batting order spots which suggest value for this one. For the Aussies, Matt Short returned to the side after a hand injury and batted at No 7. In 17 innings for Australia he has only batted outside the top three three times. There is even an outside chance he returns to his preferred opening position if the hosts decide Travis Head could do with a break. Sportsbook's 10/111.00 looks toppy.
For India, should Axar Patel really be as big as 18s for a No 6? We think not. He is considered a proper batter these days and the quote is disrespectful of his ability.
Back Axar Patel top India bat