India and Australia are preparing to lock horns in the opening T20I of a blockbuster five-match series at the iconic Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday. The series is a dress rehearsal for the 2026 T20 World Cup, and both teams know the importance of getting their combinations and form spot-on ahead of the global showdown next year. Notably, whenever India and Australia share a field, there’s an intensity that goes beyond runs and wickets. It’s a battle of pride and dominance.

The Indian team enters this series as the undisputed No. 1 T20I side in the world and the reigning World Cup champions. Since their victorious 2024 campaign, India’s momentum has only grown stronger. They won the Asia Cup title in September without suffering a single defeat.

Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, India have evolved into a more aggressive and fearless unit. The influx of young talent has given the team enviable depth. Having lost only three matches since their 2024 World Cup victory, India move into the first game with huge confidence.

For Australia, this series marks another step in their rebuilding phase after a disappointing 2024 World Cup exit — ironically, at the hands of India. Following back-to-back devastating tournaments in 2022 and 2024, Australia have undergone immense transformation.

Under Mitchell Marsh’s aggressive captaincy, the Aussies have been quite aggressive. Their power-hitting approach has churned out promising results in recent months, and going into this series, the squad looks more balanced.

Head-to-head

Matches - 32

AUS won - 11

IND won - 20

Australia likely XI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Josh Philippe, Mitch Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott/Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matt Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood

India likely XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube/Harshit Rana, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

When Will India vs Australia 1st T20I Match Be Played?

The 1st T20I between India and Australia will be played on Wednesday, October 29, at the Manuka Oval, Canberra. The match will begin at 1:45 PM IST.

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