Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India ensured that their unbeaten record since the last T20 World Cup remained untouched when they took a decisive 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series against Australia in Queensland on Thursday.
In a match that played out on tricky conditions, where India mustered 165 runs and went on to defend it comfortably against the Aussies, several key phases of play highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of both sides. Former India off-spinner R Ashwin listed out the key players for India in the upcoming days on the road to the T20 World Cup defence at home in three months.
Ashwin highlighted that dashing opener Abhishek Sharma and mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy are the key targets for opposition teams, given the way Australia handled the duo in the clash at the Carrara Oval.
“So far, I was saying that handling Jasprit Bumrah is critical, but I would now say, from what I have seen, Tim David handled Varun Chakaravarthy. I am thinking teams will go for Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy if they have to get past India. Against Abhishek Sharma, we will definitely see in this series the plan that is made, and they will definitely invite that. Whatever teams are coming, they will come prepared for the World Cup. Similarly, against Varun Chakaravarthy, because that will give them leverage in that T20 World Cup,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also noted how the Australian seamers were able to constrict the in-form Abhishek in the latest outing, operating with wide angles outside the off-stump to curb his menacing bat swing.
“Abhishek Sharma has been one of the deadly batters against fast bowlers inside the powerplay, against any bowler. Australian bowlers to Abhishek Sharma, in the powerplay itself, he made 29 off 23, of which a sixth over went for a lot. Before that, Abhishek Sharma was going at less than a run a ball. See, they had a plan to slightly reduce bat swing,” remarked Ashwin.
“You will notice that Nathan Ellis hasn’t bowled any balls within the stumps to Abhishek Sharma. They have gone wide outside the off stump, and they also went a bit pace off to make sure that a swinging arc is curtailed. So against Abhishek Sharma, he is not weak on the off side; he hits very strongly there. But they are limiting hitting areas by bowling slightly wider and also taking the pace off so that it can come a bit straighter. I thought they bowled really well,” he added.
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In the current World Cup cycle, Abhishek leads the batting charts for India with 989 runs while the 33-year-old Chakaravarthy tops the bowling roster with 43 wickets in 22 games.
