IND vs AUS pitch report: How will surface at Manuka Oval in Canberra play for 1st T20I?
The five-match T20I series between India and Australia will commence tomorrow at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. The two teams faced each other in the ODI series and Australia ended up winning it 2-1. Will India be able to start the T20I series on a high? Here's the pitch report:
The much-awaited five-match T20I series between India and Australia is all set to get underway on Wednesday (October 29), with the opening game scheduled to take place at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. Australia won the preceding three-match ODI series, even as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma starred in the third and final ODI. The focus now shifts to the action in the shortest format, with the T20 World Cup only four months away.
India are playing T20Is for the first time since winning the Asia Cup, beating Pakistan in a thrilling final in Dubai. They are missing Hardik Pandya in their squad, who got injured during the game against Sri Lanka before the final. Apart from that, the visitors boast a full-strength squad and will be looking forward to testing themselves in challenging conditions down under.
As for Australia, they will be led by Mitchell Marsh but will miss Mitchell Starc, who has retired from the format already, while they will miss Glenn Maxwell, who got injured while on the New Zealand tour earlier this month. Australia have also managed the workload of some of their players ahead of the Ashes.
Manuka Oval, Canberra pitch report
The venue has so far hosted 22 T20 matches in history, and 150 has been the average first innings score. 195 is the highest score at the Manuka Oval in Canberra by South Africa Women. The pitch is traditionally known to be a good batting wicket, and with this being the start of the season here, the surface is expected to be full of runs.
Manuka Oval, Canberra - T20I Numbers Game
Matches Played - 22
Matches won batting first - 10
Matches won bowling first - 9
Average 1st inns score - 150
Highest total - 195
Lowest total - 82
Squads
Australia Squad: Mitchell Marsh(c), Travis Head, Matthew Short, Tim David, Josh Inglis(w), Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Owen, Xavier Bartlett, Sean Abbott, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Philippe, Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, Ben Dwarshuis
India Squad: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jitesh Sharma