A crowd of 90,000 means India might get a chance to return to the MCG
A crowd of 90,000 means India might get a chance to return to the MCG
The T20I series between India and Australia got off to a soggy start in Canberra, with rain washing out the first match. But all eyes now turn to Melbourne, where the second game promises fireworks and possibly a record crowd of over 90,000.
India returns to the MCG, a venue where they’ve enjoyed massive support during the 2022 T20 World Cup and last season’s Test series. That is, if the weather behaves.
Both teams are strong contenders for next year’s T20 World Cup, and there’s even talk of a potential final showdown at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad the only cricket ground bigger than the MCG. But for now, it’s all about building momentum.
Even the Aussie players are buzzing. Fast bowler Nathan Ellis, yet to play an international at the MCG, shared his excitement:
“I was chatting with Stoinis about the early BBL days when the Melbourne Derby pulled in 90,000 fans. He said it was electric. I’ve had this match circled on my calendar for a while.”
As for the brief action in Canberra just 9.4 overs India’s top order came out firing. Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav were cruising at 10 runs per over, hinting at a big total. But Australia’s own batting firepower and India’s crafty spin trio promise a thrilling contest in Melbourne.
Tim David is yet to play an international match at the iconic MCG. His only chance came during the 2022 T20 World Cup clash against England but rain had other plans, and not a single ball was bowled. His Big Bash League (BBL) numbers at the venue haven’t been great either: just 148 runs in nine innings at an average of 16.44 his lowest at any ground where he’s batted more than five times in T20S.
But this series could be his turning point. Promoted up the order first to No. 5 and now likely to No. 4 David has brought fresh energy to Australia’s top order, giving him more time to make an impact.
On the other side, India’s spin threat looms large. While Australia have improved against spin, it’s still a potential weak spot. Varun Chakravarthy, the world’s No. 1 T20I spinner, made his debut against Australia in the washed-out Canberra game. Though he hasn’t bowled to them in T20Is yet, he’s faced them in the IPL and notably dismissed Travis Head in the Champions Trophy final earlier this year when Head looked set for a big one.
If Chakravarthy is brought on early against Marsh and Head, it could be a key moment in the match.
Australia: Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Mitch Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Philippe, Xavier Bartlett/Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah