IND vs AUS, 1st T20I: It is almost time for India and Australia to have a go at each other in the three-match T20I series. Both these teams are all set to lock horns against each other after 2 years. India and Australia, both have a golden opportunity at hand to access their World Cup squad and the combination they want to play with in the all-important marquee event.
The Aaron Finch-led Australian side has headed into this tour without their key players such as Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marcus, and Marcus Stoinis. David Warner, one of Australia's biggest players has been rested for the Indian tour owing to workload management issues. Apart from all these things, the Australian team and the team management will want their skipper Aaron Finch to get back in rhythm and find some form. The series opener will be played in Mohali. Indian team has a good record on this ground and the last time when India faced Australia in 2016, they defeated the hosts by a margin of 6 wickets.
Windy conditions and the possibility of rain
This will be the sixth T20I match to be played at Inderjit Singh Bindra Stadium but the weather forecast remains a cause of worry for both sides. According to the weather report, the match might be played under overcast conditions and has some possibility of rain. The maximum temperature during the match will be 35 degrees and the minimum temperature will be 28 degrees. The speed of the wind is estimated to be something around 10-15km/hr.
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Assistance to fast bowlers
The cricket pitch of Mohali has always assisted fast bowlers but due to the bounce in the wicket, it always becomes easier for the batsmen to get on the top of the ball and smack it accordingly.
The Mohali pitch
Traditionally, the Mohali pitch always has some grass covering on it which assists the pacers in their exploits. But it is the dew that decides the fate of the teams and the match. The scheduled start time is 7:00 PM IST and keeping the dew factor in mind, the team which wins the toss will opt to bat first. Out of the 11 matches played at this venue since 2018, 7 have been won by the side chasing.
