After the defeat at the hands of Australia in Melbourne, former cricketer Irfan Pathan raised questions on the changed strategies of Team India. The former cricketer also expressed concern over sending Harshit Rana before Shivam Dubey with the changed order of Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson. According to him, the team should not think so much about left and right combinations. He also warned about Arshdeep Singh that if he gets less opportunities, he will play only to prove himself instead of improving.

Expressing his displeasure over the experiment in batting order, Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel, “Harshit Rana came to bat above Shivam Dubey, if this is a continuation of the left and right combination, then I do not agree with this. Shivam Dubey is a better batsman than both of them, he batted well in the Asia Cup and could have played here too. It was possible that he too would have got out early, but he should get more chances.”

May the strength not be lost – Pathan

Pathan said, “Sanju Samson came to bat at number 3, he was the first opener and then started batting down and then came to number three. Suryakumar Yadav, who was playing at number three, came to number four. See, it is important that the number three position is fixed for Surya, there is no need to come down from there. If Sanju goes up and down so much, then he might become so loose, that the strength that lies with the flexibility. So…it’s over.” However, Pathan also admitted that in T20, except the openers, other batsmen have to be flexible.

Irfan Pathan also admitted that Sanju Samson is getting full support from the team, that is why he is able to play even after Shubman Gill comes into the playing 11 as an opener. But the former cricketer feels that his batting order should also be fixed. He said, “If you make so many changes then it is not right, he had scored 3 centuries while opening. He also scored runs with the old ball in the lower order. You need mental strength and support. But these things change when you have 3-4 failures.”

Targeted at Shubman Gill

Taking aim at Gill, Pathan said, “He has been brought back to the opening after removing Sanju, he will have to perform consistently. A batsman like Yashasvi Jaiswal is not playing T20, is not playing ODI for India. Such a capable player, who can score 200 in ODI and can also score a century in T20. His absence is definitely a cause of trouble.”

Pathan also raised questions that due to Sanju Samson coming third and Suryakumar Yadav coming fourth, Tilak Verma is forced to come at number 5.

Questions raised on Abhishek Sharma also

In the second T20, it was only Abhishek Sharma who batted well. He scored 68 runs in 37 balls with the help of 2 sixes and 8 fours. However, Pathan also raised questions on his game awareness. He said, “He and Harshit Rana had a half-century partnership, it happened in about 47 balls. Out of this, 33 balls were played by Harshit Rana, although he did his job and did what is expected from a lower order batsman. But here it was the responsibility of Abhishek that in this partnership most of the strikes were with Harshit. There you had to take more responsibility.”

India vs Australia 5 match T20 is going on. The first 2 matches have been played, the first T20 was washed out due to rain and the hosts won by 4 wickets in the second match. Josh Hazlewood, who took 3 wickets in the second T20, will not be a part of the team from the third T20. He did not get injured, but before the start of the series it was decided that he would play only 2 matches. Apart from them, there have been some changes in the squad. Know who has now joined the squad.

Talking about Josh Hazlewood, he will now start preparing for the Ashes, he was included in the team only for the first 2 matches. Sean Abbott is included till the third T20, after that he will not play in the last 2 matches. If Hazlewood is out, bowler Mahli Beardman has become a part of the team from the third T20.

Australia’s squad for the third T20 against India

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahali Beardman, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Matthew Kuhneman, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wk), Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

team changes

• Mahali Beardman (Squad squad for last 3 matches)
• Josh Hazlewood (Not part of the team from the third T20)
• ben dwarshis (Will play in the fourth and fifth T20)

India did not lose any T20 series after T20 World Cup

It is very important for India to win the third T20, because if Suryakumar Yadav loses here, then India can only draw the series even after winning the last two matches. Let us tell you that since the 2024 T20 World Cup, India has won all the 5 T20 series played.

India vs Australia T20 match schedule

• 02 November – 3rd T20: Noon (Ballerive Oval)
• 06 November- 4th T20: Noon (Heritage Bank Stadium)
• 08 November- Fifth T20: Afternoon (Gabba Stadium).

India’s T20 squad against Australia

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubhman Gill, Rinku Singh, Tilak Verma, Abhishek Sharma, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dubey, Washington Sundar, Jitesh Sharma (wicket keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket keeper), Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakraborty.