3 things India need to do right in the 4th T20I vs Australia ft. powerplay batting

India are all set to face off against Australia in the fourth T20I of the five-match series on Thursday, November 6. The encounter will be contested at the Carrara Oval in Carrara.

The series is currently tied at 1-1. India seemed lost at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as they fell to a comprehensive defeat, but they bounced back well at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart to pull level. The winner of Thursday's game will not lose the rubber, and the Men in Blue will be keen on capitalizing on their momentum.

India’s T20I squad for the Australia tour: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.

Australia's T20I squad for the India series: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott (games 1-3), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman (games 3-5), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis (games 4-5), Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood (games 1-2), Ben McDermott (standby player), Glenn Maxwell (games 3-5), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis.

On that note, here are three things India need to do right in the fourth T20I against Australia.

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#3 India could consider replacing Shivam Dube in the middle order

Cricket: Australia v India - 2nd T20I - Source: Getty

In the previous game, India replaced Sanju Samson with Jitesh Sharma. The move worked, with Jitesh playing a useful cameo down the order at a position he is clearly more suited to than the former.

It might be time for India to make more such changes. Shivam Dube looks out of place in the middle order, given his questionable pace-hitting ability and part-time bowling. The all-rounder was taken for a few runs in the previous game, and India might not be able to use his bowling Down Under.

Rinku Singh could replace Dube as a specialist finisher who can partner Jitesh in that department. Rinku is also an excellent fielder, and the long boundaries in Carrara might need his quick running and catching.

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#2 The visitors' powerplay batting needs to be slightly more cautious

Cricket: Australia v India - 2nd T20I - Source: Getty

Shubman Gill got off to a start in Canberra, but he has underwhelmed since. Josh Hazlewood worked him over in Melbourne, while he couldn't capitalize in Hobart. The Indian vice-captain is in need of some runs, and the new ball hasn't been easy to hit.

With a fair bit of swing and seam on offer, the Indian openers - especially Gill - need to adopt a slightly more conservative approach in the powerplay. While Hazlewood's absence will help their case, the Aussies have enough resources in the pace department to ask a few questions early on.

If India are able to get through the powerplay without losing more than one wicket, they will be in a good position to take the attack to the opposition through the middle overs.

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#1 India need to use their pace resources carefully

Australia v India - T20 Series: Game 1 - Source: Getty

In the previous game, Jasprit Bumrah bowled three overs in the powerplay. The strategy, which was used in the Asia Cup as well, simply isn't sustainable anymore. India neither have the pace resources needed to succeed in Australia nor the middle-overs ability of Kuldeep Yadav in their current playing XI.

Arshdeep Singh taking two wickets in his first spell somewhat papered over the cracks, but Suryakumar Yadav simply cannot waste three overs of his premier pacer upfront. Australia have plenty of good hitters of pace in the middle order, and if they are able to negotiate Varun Chakaravarthy, India could be in serious trouble later in the piece.

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Edited by Sai Krishna