Overview
- Australia beat India by four wickets at the MCG after dismissing the visitors for 125, with Josh Hazlewood taking 3 for 13 to claim player of the match.
- Head coach Gautam Gambhir left left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh out of India’s XI for the match, a call that drew immediate attention after the defeat.
- Ravichandran Ashwin said Arshdeep should be among the first fast bowlers picked alongside Jasprit Bumrah and argued repeated benching has cost him rhythm.
- Aaron Finch said he would be very surprised if Arshdeep is not recalled for Hobart and criticized India for carrying too many batters in the MCG lineup.
- Arshdeep is India’s leading T20I wicket-taker with 101 in 65 matches, the series stands 1-0 to Australia after the rain-abandoned opener, and the third T20I is scheduled for Nov 2 in Hobart.