Indian batters can finally breathe a sigh of relief as they prepare for the third T20 International against Australia in Hobart on Sunday, November 2, 2025. The absence of ace fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is a significant boost for India, though the perplexing omission of left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh continues to be a talking point.
Hazlewood’s mastery of hitting precise lengths, combined with the unsettling bounce he consistently generated around the off-stump channel, proved a constant challenge for the Indian batsmen in previous matches.
His break comes ahead of the demanding Ashes Test series, set to begin later this month, ensuring he’s rested for the grueling five-match battle. He will not participate in the remaining T20I matches.
Star opener Abhishek Sharma openly expressed his relief after the Melbourne game, stating, “It would obviously be a relief. I have never faced such bowling,” highlighting the immense pressure Hazlewood imposed.
This respite means Indian batters, who have shown some technical vulnerabilities against pace, bounce, and seam movement, will likely feel more confident facing Australia’s remaining pacers like Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, or Sean Abbott.
Both skipper Suryakumar Yadav and future captain Shubman Gill have previously struggled with deliveries that offer extra bounce and notable seam movement. They will be eager to replicate their dominant performance from the opening game in Canberra.
Hobart’s Bellerive Oval is known for its relatively shorter side boundaries, making precise bowling lengths crucial. Anything short could easily fly over the ropes, offering plenty of scoring opportunities.
This venue holds a special place in Indian cricket history, being where Virat Kohli delivered his iconic 133 not out off 86 balls against Sri Lanka in 2012, masterminding a chase of 321. The Bellerive Oval pitch is historically a batsman’s paradise in white-ball cricket.
Interestingly, it’s also the home ground for pacer Nathan Ellis, who captains the local Big Bash League franchise, the Hobart Hurricanes.
The Curious Case of Arshdeep Singh
The Indian team management’s unwavering focus on batting depth has been a recurring theme this tour, and recent batting collapses, like the meager total of 125 at the MCG, raise questions about the true value of such a strategy.
Despite playing on a pitch with significant bounce, India opted for three spinners, and once again, Arshdeep Singh, India’s only bowler with 100 T20I wickets, was left out of the playing XI.
“If Jasprit Bumrah is playing, then Arshdeep Singh’s name should be second on the list. If Bumrah is not playing, Arshdeep Singh’s name would be first on the list,” remarked Ravichandran Ashwin on his Hindi YouTube channel, a clear and direct statement on the matter.
Statistical analysis indicates that India’s number 8 batsman has, on average, faced only about five balls per innings over the last 15 to 20 games. This trend consistently brings into question the viability of prioritizing batting depth to this extent.
Some experts believe that when a team is overstacked with batsmen, those at the top of the order might adopt a more cavalier approach, knowing there’s plenty of batting support below. This can lead to less disciplined batting on pitches that demand caution.
While Harshit Rana is undeniably a capable batsman, his performance in the second game presented some revealing statistics.
Harshit scored 35 runs off 33 balls, including three fours and a six.
Excluding the 18 runs scored from boundaries in just four balls, the powerful all-rounder from Delhi managed only 17 runs from the remaining 29 deliveries, at times leaving Abhishek Sharma stranded at the non-striker’s end.
It’s understood that Harshit is a key part of head coach Gambhir’s plans and is considered indispensable for the current playing XI, yet his bowling consistency remains a concern.
However, given Hobart’s conditions, where the open areas on one side could favour swing bowling, India might seriously consider swapping a spin option for Arshdeep Singh to bolster their pace attack.
Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott (games 1-3), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman (games 3-5), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis (games 4-5), Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell (games 3-5), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, and Marcus Stoinis.
Match Starts at: 1:45 pm IST.