Virat Kohli's Team India, after a dominating performance in the ODI series against Australia, continued their impressive form in the first T20 on Saturday, winning the rain-affected game by nine wickets via DL method. Now, they are on the verge of winning the three-match T20 series with the second match set to take place at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.
India, with series win in sight, might not make any changes from the team that played in the first T20. Though Ashish Nehra might be considered for selection, Kohli and the team management will have a tough choice to fit the left-arm pacer.
They will have to drop either Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Jasprit Bumrah. The duo has been splendid with both the new and old ball, so Nehra might be once again ignored. But his chances will increase for the third T20 if India beats Australia in Guwahati.
Coming to the batting department, which was not tested much in the first match, there is no reason for India to bring in another player. However, the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Kohli will share major responsibility when it comes to scoring runs in the second T20.
Australia, who already lost Steve Smith due to injury even before the T20 series, will be looking to play some better cricket and pick an important win on Tuesday. Beating India would mean they stay alive in the series, hence David Warner, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell will have to fire with the bat.
The Australia thinktank might not make major changes, but the chance of Marcus Stoinis replacing Dan Christian does exist.
Stoinis, who has quality IPL experience, was a part of the ODI squad. He has adjusted his game according to the conditions, and might get the nod for the second T20. Their core bowling attack, however, may not undergo any change.
Pitch conditions
The Barsapara Cricket Stadium will be hosting their first international match and this being a T20 match, one can expect a run feast. The surface should provide assistance to the batsman, where the like of Warner, Finch, Kohli and Rohit should score runs freely.
Expected playing XI
India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (c), Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
Australia: David Warner (c), Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marcus Stoinis, Tim Paine(wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff
