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India vs Australia: Five new faces to keep an eye on

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Nov 18, 2018 12:49 PM IST

This series will also hold a lot of significance to the cricketers as the sides are stacked with relative newcomers and this is the perfect chance for them to prove their mettle ahead of next year’s ICC World Cup.

The T20I series between India and Australia is just round the corner and if past results are any indication, India will be clear favourites after winning 10 out of the 15 encounters (one game was abandoned). However, with home advantage on their side, the Australian cricket team should not be underestimated and Aaron Finch’s team will surely be looking to put an end to their woeful run of form.

File - India bowler Khaleel Ahmed (C) celebrates with captain Virat Kohli (R), Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (L) after taking a wicket.(AFP)
File - India bowler Khaleel Ahmed (C) celebrates with captain Virat Kohli (R), Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (L) after taking a wicket.(AFP)

This series will also hold a lot of significance to the cricketers as the sides are stacked with relative newcomers and this is the perfect chance for them to prove their mettle ahead of next year’s ICC World Cup.

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Here’s a look at the five newcomers to watch out for in the India vs Australia T20I series -

Rishabh Pant

File image of India cricketer Rishabh Pant in action during a match. (AP)
File image of India cricketer Rishabh Pant in action during a match. (AP)

With the selectors deciding to rest MS Dhoni for the series, all eyes will be on the young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant. The youngster was one of the top performers of the IPL 2018 with 394 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of 173.60 and he was rewarded with a debut against England earlier this year. However, the 21-year-old has failed to replicate that form in the last few T20I encounters with his best performance coming against West Indies in Chennai when he scored 58 off 35 deliveries. Pant will once again be under the microscope in Australia but couple of good performances can turn it around for him.

Billy Stanlake

File - Australian bowler Billy Stanlake, left, celebrates with teammates after the fall of a wicket. (AP)
File - Australian bowler Billy Stanlake, left, celebrates with teammates after the fall of a wicket. (AP)

The 6’8 fast bowler has been one of the consistent performers for Australia in recent times and he will surely be a big asset for the hosts when they face India in the upcoming T20I series. In the 15 T20Is he has played so far, Stanlake has picked up 23 wickets at an average of 19.65 and economy rate of 7.92. The 24-year old is also no stranger to the Indian cricket team players as he has played against a number of them during his IPL stints with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2018, he started the season well with 5 wickets in 4 matches but was ruled out due to a finger injury.

Krunal Pandya

File - Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya (L) celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket (AFP)
File - Indian cricketer Krunal Pandya (L) celebrates with teammates after taking a wicket (AFP)

Krunal Pandya’s T20I debut finally came against West Indies this month and the impact was almost instantaneous. The 27-year-old returned with figures of 1/15 and then slammed 21 off just 9 deliveries to guide his team to victory. The rest of the series was nothing special for the all-rounder but he impressed a lot of people with his performances. When it comes to the Indian Premier League, Pandya has been a reliable option for his side Mumbai Indians and with 708 runs and 28 wickets under his belt, he has proven himself to be a valuable asset to the team. With the ICC World Cup just few months away, Pandya will surely be looking to make his case in front of the selections with an all-round performance.

D’Arcy Short

File - Australia's batsman D'Arcy Short watches the ball after playing a shot during a match (AFP)
File - Australia's batsman D'Arcy Short watches the ball after playing a shot during a match (AFP)

The 28-year old shot to prominence after finishing as the top-scorer in the 2017-18 Big Bash League and since making his international debut in February this year, he has scored 461 runs in 14 matches with the help off four half-centuries. He didn’t have a great outing in the T20I series against Pakistan but he did smash a record-breaking 257 off 148 balls in a 50-over match for Western Australia in September – setting the record for the highest score by an Australian in one-day cricket. The Aussie batsmen have not enjoyed the best of form lately and the fans will be looking at Short to provide them with a good start.

Khaleel Ahmed

File - India cricketer Khaleel Ahmed in action during a match. (AFP)
File - India cricketer Khaleel Ahmed in action during a match. (AFP)

The 20-year old also got his debut in the recently concluded series against West Indies but his bowling has earned him praise from experts and fans alike. With three wickets from three matches, he was the second best fast bowler in the series and he was able to terrorise the batsmen with his pace and variations. When it comes to the ODIs, his performance has been equally impressive as he has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of just above 5 and a good show in Australia will further solidify his position.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Sayan Ghosh works for the sports desk at Hindustan Times. He mostly covers football, but his interests include cricket and UFC.

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