Overview
- Persistent rain ended the first T20I at Canberra without a result with India 97/1 after 9.4 overs.
- Suryakumar Yadav batted at No. 3 and finished 39 not out off 24 balls, striking three fours and two sixes.
- The knock was welcomed as encouragement after a prolonged slump in which he went 14 innings without a fifty and averaged about 10.50.
- Robin Uthappa urged India to keep Yadav at No. 3 and not bat him below No. 4, noting past use of a left‑right policy that sometimes promoted Tilak Varma.
- The second T20I is scheduled for Friday in Melbourne as both teams use the series to fine‑tune plans for next year’s T20 World Cup in India.