AUS vs IND: Predicting India'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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The Indian team is coming off the Asia Cup 2025 win and will be captained by Suryakumar Yadav. On the other hand, Australia is coming off a 2-0 T20I series win over New Zealand, and before that, they had defeated South Africa, with both series played at home.

The Indian team will be looking to fine-tune their playing combination and would love to get to a winning start, as they will be playing in totally different conditions from the UAE.

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

Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament of Asia Cup 2025, and vice-captain Shubman Gill are set to open the innings for India, with Suryakumar Yadav coming in at no. 3. Abhishek is in top form, and Australian pitches will suit his big-hitting shots, as he loves balls coming on his bat. He has 849 runs at a strike rate of 196.07, with two centuries and five fifties, with the highest score of 135.

Shubman Gill will love to get some runs in his kitty after a quiet ODI series since he’ll be free from the responsibility of captaincy. Gill has 705 runs at a strike rate of 141.28 in 28 T20Is, with one ton and three fifties, with the best score of 126*.

Suryakumar Yadav will love some runs, given he has barely 100 runs in T20Is in 2025. He has 2670 runs at a strike rate of 164.20 in 90 T20Is, including four centuries and 21 fifties, including the best score of 117.

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Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, and Shivam Dube, along with Axar Patel, will form the middle order of the Indian team. Tilak Varma has been in a purple patch and has scored 962 runs in 32 T20Is, with two centuries and four fifties, with a strike rate of 149.14. Sanju Samson is most likely to keep wickets and has 993 runs to his name in 49 T20Is, along with three centuries and three fifties and a strike rate of 147.28.

Shivam Dube has 581 runs and 18 wickets in 41 T20Is, with four fifties to his name, with a strike rate of 138.66. Axar Patel has scored 858 runs with three fifties and a best score of 64* and has taken 77 wickets at an economy of 7.26 in 78 T20Is.

Kuldeep Yadav is expected to be the only pure spinner and has 86 wickets at an economy of 6.70 in 47 T20Is. Harshit Rana might edge out Varun Chakaravarthy if India wants his batting ability at no. 8; otherwise, expect India to play to its strength with three spinners. Varun has 40 wickets at an economy of 6.89, with best bowling of 5/17.

Arshdeep Singh, the first Indian to 100 T20I wickets, and Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace department. Arshdeep has 101 wickets in 65 T20Is, with an economy of 8.37, while Bumrah has 96 wickets in 75 T20Is, including an economy of 6.35.

Predicting India's playing XI for the first T20I

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana/Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.

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