Team India and Australia played a wonderful T20I match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in what was a must-win game for both teams. Australia had 1-0 lead in the series and a win would have given them a first T20I series win over India; while for India, it was a matter of drawing the series.
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli shined brightly in the chase of 164 runs, as India registered a comfortable 6-wicket win and series ended 1-1 with the MCG match rained out.
The Indian team was anchored by Shikhar Dhawan in the batting department, as he was chosen the Player of the series, while Virat Kohli showed his chasing prowess in the final T20I. There were some disappointments as well in form of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, who squandered brilliant chances to cement their places.
Keeping all of this in mind, Team COC presents the players rating for Team India for the T20I series.
Check out the COC Players Ratings for Team India in the T20I series
SHIKHAR DHAWAN 9/10 Shikhar Dhawan carried off his form from the West Indies T20I series into this series and reeled off scores of 76 and 41 in the two matches he played. The strike rate of 182.81 was amazing given that he never gave the Australian bowlers any chance in either of the matches.
It was because of his 41 and his partnership with Rohit Sharma that enabled India to chase down 164 with ease, given the spinners tied the batsmen down a bit in middle overs. He was rightly awarded the Player of the Series award for his amazing contribution to the team.
ROHIT SHARMA 4/10 Rohit Sharma was cold in this series, given that he scored 7 and 23 in the two matches. His 23 was important because his and Dhawan’s assault was instrumental in India scoring over 65 runs in first 6 overs and then chasing the total of 164 with ease.
VIRAT KOHLI 7/10
Virat Kohli may have got out for 4 in the first game that India lost narrowly. But he surely redeemed himself by scoring a magnificent 61* in the third T20I to chase down 164 and equalize the series in a must-win game. His innings in SCG was a perfect mix of attack and good running in the big ground.
DINESH KARTHIK 7/10 Whenever Dinesh Karthik has remained not out in a chase in T20Is, India has always won the match and that stat came true in the first T20I, when he got out for 30 and India lost the match narrowly. However, he partnered Kohli perfectly in the third match, scoring 22* in the successful chase, after Rahul and Pant disappointed.
KL RAHUL 2/10
KL Rahul was given the chance to bat at no.3 in the Windies T20I series in absence of Kohli and he wasted the opportunities. He managed to keep that spot in the first T20I despite Kohli returning, but somehow, Rahul managed to blow that chance and was back to no.4 in the 3rd match. He returns of 27 runs in two matches don’t do justice to his talent and he will hope that team management gives him some more chances to prove himself.
RISHABH PANT 2/10 Rishabh Pant scored 20 runs in the two-match series including a golden duck in the third match. His 20 runs in the first T20I was instrumental in India almost chasing down the Australian total, but his mode of dismissal was criticized. Pant must raise his game above the domestic level if he really wants to replace MS Dhoni in the Indian team.
KRUNAL PANDYA 5/10 Krunal Pandya had three very different matches in the T20I series. In the first match, he went for 55 runs, making him one of the most expensive bowlers for India in a T20I match. In the second match, he redeemed himself a bit with a wicket, but came into his own in the SCG match, picking a career best 4/36. With the bat, he couldn’t do anything significant but has shown that if invested time in him, Pandya can become a long-time prospect for the team.
KULDEEP YADAV 7/10 Kuldeep Yadav continued his good form with the ball in the three-match series, picking 4 wickets giving away just 66 runs in 12 overs. His economic bowling was responsible for other bowlers picking wickets, as he created tremendous pressure on batsmen to take other bowlers on.
BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR 4/10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar had a very quiet series in which he picked a best of 2/20. With an economy of 6.80, he was a bit expensive, especially in the third match, when Stoinis and other batsmen took 44 runs off 4 overs bowled by Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah.
KHALEEL AHMED 2/10 Khaleel Ahmed got a taste of what international cricket is all about, as after success against West Indies at home and in Asia Cup prior to that, Khaleel was taken apart by the Australian batting as he managed just 3 wickets at an economy of 10.54. Ahmed’s tactics of bowling short to Australian batsmen meant that he was feeding to their strengths and was taken for runs. Though he showed some moments of brilliance, everyone knows that he has a lot to learn in time to come.
JASPRIT BUMRAH 5/10 Jasprit Bumrah picked 2 wickets in the three-match series and wasn’t his own self after being rested for the Windies series. He was also taken for runs in the third T20I at the death and India will hope that he regains his form for the upcoming Test series.