Copyright sportskeeda
Team India are set to take on Australia in a blockbuster five-match T20I series after their victorious 2025 Asia Cup triumph in September. The bilateral affair is set to begin on Wednesday, October 29, at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. The Suryakumar Yadav-led side have been flying under Gautam Gambhir, ensuring a smooth transition after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Series wins over Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and England, have helped the team set a solid base for the major assignments ahead. The skipper, however, is set for his biggest challenge so far with a ruthless Australian side in alien conditions. All signs indicate that it will not be a cakewalk for the Men in Blue by any means. On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why India could struggle in AUS vs IND 2025 T20Is. #1 India are still settling into their new batting line-up The 2025 Asia Cup saw a massive batting shake-up as Shubman Gill returned to the setup as the vice-captain, claiming a spot at the top of the order, while Sanju Samson was demoted to the middle-order. Although they went through the tournament unbeaten, one would argue that they were not exactly at their ruthless best, based on the sky-high potential. Given that Sanju Samson is still settling into his new role, and India are devoid of a well-honed finisher in Hardik Pandya, the lower middle-order looks a touch shaky. Although India have proper all-rounders in Axar Patel and Shivam Dube to bolster that department, it does not exactly exude assurance. Moreover, some key batters like Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav are also not in the best of touch. The opening batter had a forgettable ODI series in the country recently, with questions being raised regarding his workload and the pressure he is being put under with multiple leadership roles. The T20I skipper, on the other hand, has been a shadow of his former self for a while now, and it does not bode well for India ahead of the series, as well as in the build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup. Another poor series for the ace batter is bound to intensify the criticism to a whole other level. #2 India may have a hard time trying to curb Australia's aggression As much as Australia's Test transition has gone awry in recent times, they have arguably nailed it when it comes to their T20I side. Ever since the disappointing 2024 T20 World Cup campaign, the Men in Yellow have had a major overhaul across all departments. Their batting unit looks more cohesive and aligned to have 20 overs of aggressive cricket, able to take on bowlers irrespective of the situation and conditions. With power-hitters spread throughout the batting order, with Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head at the top, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis in the middle, and Tim David and Mitchell Owen at the back end, it is a packed lineup that any bowling line-up would struggle to contain. As a result, the Indian bowling line-up, particularly the options outside Jasprit Bumrah, might have a hard time keeping this unit in check. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will also have a hard time balancing between going for wickets, or just thinking about containing. He also does not have the option of leaning towards Hardik Pandya to mix things up or break partnerships, given that the spinners cannot control proceedings like they do in the subcontinent conditions. #3 It is the first outing in Australia for the majority of the squad Key match-winners like Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, and Varun Chakaravarthy, among others, are set to have their first international outing on Australian soil. For a group of players who have predominantly played in the subcontinent or subcontinent-like conditions, this could prove to be a massive step up. Their skill set and ability suggest that they are well capable of handling such conditions. However, the key factor would be the time they would need to seamlessly settle in and be completely in command. Even seasoned Indian players with all of the experience struggled to acclimatize to the Australian conditions, after a lot of subcontinent cricket behind them, during the recent ODI series, and looked comfortable only towards the end of it. The T20I side could also potentially face a similar challenge, especially at the start of the series. India's last T20I assignment outside the subcontinent came in South Africa last year, where the wickets were not menacing in terms of pace and bounce, as compared to Australia.
