Josh Hazlewood’s rest ahead of the Ashes brings much-needed relief for Indian batters struggling against his precision and bounce. However, Arshdeep Singh’s continued exclusion remains one of the biggest talking points as India gears up to face Australia in Hobart.
Hazlewood’s Absence a Big Relief for India
Indian batters will breathe a sigh of relief with Josh Hazlewood sitting out of the remainder of the T20I series. His ability to hit the perfect length and extract bounce made him a nightmare for India’s top order.
With the Ashes just around the corner, the Australian management has decided to rest Hazlewood to keep him fresh for the gruelling five-Test series.
“It would obviously be a relief. I have never faced such bowling,” said opener Abhishek Sharma, admitting the challenge Hazlewood posed in Melbourne.
Now, without him, India’s batters will instead face the relatively less intimidating pace trio of Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, and Sean Abbott—a welcome change for the visitors.
Bellerive Oval: A Familiar Battlefield
The third T20I will be played at Bellerive Oval in Hobart, a ground known for its shorter boundaries and true bounce. Anything short of length here can easily sail over the ropes at point, mid-wicket, or cover.
The venue holds special memories for Indian fans—it’s where Virat Kohli famously scored 133* off 86 balls against Sri Lanka in 2012, chasing down 321 runs.
Interestingly, Nathan Ellis, one of Australia’s pacers in the squad, calls this ground home as the captain of the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League.
Arshdeep Singh’s Omission Still a Mystery
While Hazlewood’s absence brings relief, the Indian management’s decision to keep Arshdeep Singh out of the XI continues to raise eyebrows.
Despite being India’s most successful T20I left-arm seamer with over 100 wickets, Arshdeep was left out again—even on a bouncy pitch in Melbourne where his skills could have been vital.
India instead went in with three spinners, prioritizing batting depth over bowling balance.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin voiced his opinion strongly:
“If Jasprit Bumrah is playing, then Arshdeep Singh’s name should be second on the list. If Bumrah isn’t, Arshdeep should be first.”
Is Batting Depth Becoming a Burden?
India’s focus on extending batting depth hasn’t exactly paid off. Numbers show that India’s No. 8 batter has faced an average of just five balls per innings in the last 15–20 games—raising serious questions about whether this approach makes sense.
There’s also a growing concern that having too many batters gives the top order a false sense of security, encouraging reckless stroke play.
For instance, Harshit Rana’s 35 off 33 balls in the second T20I looked decent on paper, but when broken down—only 18 runs came through boundaries, and the rest (17 off 29 balls) lacked fluency. His sluggish approach left Abhishek Sharma stranded at the other end.
Despite his inconsistency, Harshit seems to be a key part of head coach Gautam Gambhir’s plans, featuring regularly in the playing XI.
Time for a Tactical Change in Hobart
Given the open spaces and swing-friendly conditions in Hobart, India might benefit from dropping one spinner and bringing in Arshdeep Singh. His ability to move the ball early and bowl effectively at the death could be crucial in leveling the series.
Squads
India:
Suryakumar Yadav (c), 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, Marcus Stoinis
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