AUS vs IND: Predicting Australia's playing XI for the first T20I

Australia and India will play the first of the five T20Is on October 29, 2025. This match will be played at the Manuka Oval in Canberra.

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Australia last played T20Is against South Africa and New Zealand at home and played an amazing brand of T20 cricket. They, along with India and England, have cracked the code for T20I cricket, and this five-match T20I series will be a treat to watch between two of the best sides in the world.

Here is Australia's predicted playing XI for the first AUS vs. IND T20I:

Mitchell Marsh has been an absolute beast at the top for Australia, with 1996 runs with a strike rate of 139.97 with a best score of 103*. His opening partner Travis Head is nothing short of a beast himself, with 1163 runs at a strike rate of 156.10 in T20Is. Matt Short will bat at no. 3 and has scored 331 runs with a strike rate of 156.87 and has taken eight wickets.

Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, and either Josh Inglis or Josh Phillippe will form the middle order. Inglis or Phillippe will keep wickets, depending on Inglis’ injury status. Tim David has over 1500 runs with a strike rate of 168.19, while Stoinis has 1251 runs with a strike rate of 148.39 and has 46 wickets as well. Mitchell Owen has done well in T20s, with 1109 runs at a strike rate of 182.70 with two centuries in 58 matches.

Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, and Josh Hazlewood will lead the pace unit. Bartlett has 15 T20I wickets, while Abbott has 33 T20I wickets to his name. Meanwhile, Hazlewood has 76 wickets in 58 T20Is with a best of 4/12 and an economy of 7.54.

Adam Zampa is expected to be the lone specialist spinner and has 131 wickets in 106 T20Is with an economy of 7.33 with best bowling of 5/19.

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Predicted Australia's playing XI for the first T20I:

Mitchell Marsh (C), Travis Head, Matt Short, Tim David, Josh Inglis (WK), Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.

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