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Before the upcoming T20 International series against Australia, which begins on Wednesday, October 28, Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan thinks that Hardik Pandya's injury will significantly affect the team's balance. Pandya has not yet returned to international duty after missing the final against Pakistan due to a left quadriceps injury sustained during the Asia Cup earlier this year. In the Asia Cup final, India startled everyone by giving Shivam Dube the new ball while he was away. In Australia, Pathan questioned whether the team management would continue with that experiment. “The other challenge is team combination. With Hardik Pandya injured, India’s balance changes. Who bowls the new ball now? In the Asia Cup final, Shivam Dube opened the bowling — will that continue?” Pathan asked on his YouTube channel. Instead of depending on several spinners, the former India star feels that Australia's circumstances call for a pace-heavy strategy. “In Australia, three fast bowlers are a must. You don’t need three spinners there like in Dubai. I’d go with three pacers and one spinner,” he said. Pathan went on to reveal his ideal starting lineup for the T20I series, which emphasises bowling diversity and batting depth. “If we do that, here’s my playing XI prediction: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy,” he said. “This gives the team good batting depth till No. 8 and a solid bowling attack,” Pathan added. Pathan thinks that the decision between Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav will be significant for India's spin option. “It’s a tough call between Kuldeep and Varun. Personally, I’d pick Varun for the extra mystery factor, especially if India wants a spinner who can bowl during the powerplay. But if the team goes with Kuldeep, that’s fine too.” Pathan's observations highlight India's need for balance and versatility as they get ready for the difficult Australian conditions, while Pandya's absence creates a hole in the all-rounder position.
