Australia vs India: 5 Indian players to watch out for in the T20I series

The clashes between Australia and India in T20Is are always a fight between bravado and craft, with big hits and clever variations. The upcoming series will hinge not just on the usual suspects but on a clutch of players from the Indian team who can change games in the short space of a single over. Here are five names to watch, and why each could tilt the balance.

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1. Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar remains India’s chief tempo controller in the T20s. He reads the field quickly, finds gaps, and accelerates without wasting balls. When SKY is in rhythm, India’s middle overs turn from messy to match-winning. 

His overall T20 pedigree and role as Mumbai’s finisher give India a reliable option to push the run-rate through the middle overs. He has been a sure-shot match-winner for the Indian team, and that’s why the team added the extra responsibility of leading the team. Expect Australia to plan short, attacking spells specifically for him. If they can get him early, they can put pressure on the Indian team; otherwise, they will be pressurised.

2. Abhishek Sharma

Abhishek is one of those openers who can make 200 seem reachable inside ten overs. His IPL form, where he has produced innings at extraordinary strike-rates, has translated to international chances because he forces bowlers to change lengths immediately. 

If India wants to seize the powerplay and put Australia on the back foot, Abhishek’s early assault is the simplest way to do it. Explosive starts change match plans for the chasing side and leave bowlers hunting defensive lines. He will be the key batter for India right from the start.

3. Varun Chakravarthy

Varun’s value isn’t just wicket numbers, but it’s also the dot balls and the constant doubt he plants in a batter’s mind. His ability to vary pace and use big but subtle trajectories makes him one of the trickiest middle-over options in India’s armoury. 

Against a lineup that loves cross-batted slogging, Varun’s first job is to dry up scoring and push batters into false strokes. He also has an economic advantage that often produces wickets. If he finds his markers early, Australia will be forced into riskier plans.

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4. Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep’s left-arm wrist spin creates a natural angle and an awkward line that right-handers especially struggle to read in the T20s. He’s the kind of bowler who can win a game with a short, incisive burst. Two overs from him where he picks a couple of top-order scalps and chokes the scoring rate, handing Australia the initiative and hence the risk. 

His recent performance in multi-team white-ball events underlined that when Kuldeep is on, he produces high-impact overs rather than long, steady spells, which is exactly the kind of contribution that flips T20 momentum.

5. Tilak Varma

Tilak’s rise has been fast because he blends composed finishing with an ability to hit big off both pace and spin. He’s no longer just a ‘promise’, but has turned into a match finisher who reads chase scenarios well and picks the right ball to attack. 

That mix of temperament and boundary-hitting makes him a likely candidate to close tight games. If India needs a tight chase, Tilak is the type to make a plan and execute it. Australia will want their slower bowlers and yorkers ready for him in the last five overs.

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