Shubman Gill, returning from injury, is set to open alongside Abhishek Sharma. Though Sanju Samson prefers opening, Gill is being preferred for his anchoring ability. Abhishek will take on the aggressive role. Captain and world No. 1 T20 batter Suryakumar Yadav will bat at his favorite No. 3 position. Tilak Varma is expected to be the priority at No. 4, adding left-handed balance to the lineup.

As wicketkeeper, Jitesh Sharma is currently ahead of Sanju. The reason is simple — Jitesh is explosive from ball one and is a specialist finisher, a role in which India lacks options. If Sanju plays, he would need to come down the order, which is not his natural position.

Hardik Pandya’s Return Strengthens Team Balance

Hardik Pandya’s comeback provides the perfect balance — destructive batting at No. 5 and four overs of medium-fast bowling. After him comes the reliable all-rounder Axar Patel.

In pace bowling, Jasprit Bumrah will lead the attack. Arshdeep Singh’s experience helps his case, but young Harshit Rana’s speed and aggression make him a strong contender. With Hardik available as an additional pacer, Harshit could comfortably bowl all four overs if selected.

In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav will partner with mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, a combination that could trouble South Africa’s middle order.

India’s Probable XI :

Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, (Wicketkeeper), Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh / Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah

Match Details

Toss Time: 6:30 PM (IST)

Match Start: 7:00 PM (IST)

Live Telecast: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: JioCinema / Hotstar app & website

In the latest ICC rankings, Rohit leads with 781 points. Gill dropped to third place, while Afghanistan’s Ibrahim Zadran claimed the second spot with 764 points. Virat Kohli, who showed signs of revival with an unbeaten 74 in the third ODI, now sits sixth with 725 points. Shreyas Iyer, despite not batting in the third match, climbed to ninth in the rankings.

This achievement holds extra significance amid growing speculation about Rohit’s ODI future. With Gill taking over the ODI captaincy just before the series in Australia, many had wondered whether the veteran opener was nearing retirement in this format. Yet, Rohit’s sublime performances in Adelaide and Sydney, including two exceptional innings, demonstrated that he still has plenty to offer. Despite his success, he hinted that this might be his last tour of Australia. “Always love coming here and playing here. Fond memories of 2008. I’m not sure if we’ll be coming back to Australia, but we enjoy our cricket no matter what accolades we achieve,” he reflected.

Rohit’s rise to the top of the rankings also breaks a historic record. By claiming the No. 1 position at 38 years and 182 days, he surpassed Sachin Tendulkar, who last held the top spot in Tests at 38 years and 73 days in 2011, becoming the oldest batter ever to lead the ICC men’s ODI batting rankings. This marks Rohit’s first reign at the summit of the ODI batting charts — a remarkable achievement for a player in the latter stages of his international career. His 33rd ODI century, which also marked his 50th international century across formats, capped off a record-breaking series and reinforced his enduring class and consistency.

Rohit’s performance in Australia also saw him gain 36 rating points, moving from 741 to 781, which was enough to displace Shubman Gill from the top. Gill, who had been the No. 1 batter since late 2023, slipped to third, with Zadran taking the second position. Despite Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 74 in the final ODI, he dropped one place to sixth, while Shreyas Iyer rose to ninth.

This resurgence is especially remarkable given Rohit’s previous career-high of No. 2 during the 2019 World Cup, where he had amassed five centuries and reached a peak rating of 882 points. His recent tour of Australia added multiple new records to his illustrious career. He surpassed Virender Sehwag’s tally of 15,758 runs across formats as an Indian opener, achieving it in 11 fewer innings. He also equaled Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 45 international hundreds as an opener, second only to David Warner globally, and matched Tendulkar’s nine ODI centuries against Australia, though in just 49 innings compared to Tendulkar’s 70.

Additionally, his century in Sydney made him the second-oldest Indian to score an ODI hundred, behind Tendulkar, and extended his tally to 14 hundreds in SENA countries — the highest by any visiting batter in those conditions.

Rohit Sharma’s remarkable resurgence at an age when many players have retired not only highlights his extraordinary skill and fitness but also sets a new benchmark for longevity and consistency in modern cricket. His achievement as the oldest-ever ICC No. 1 ODI batter is a fitting testament to his enduring excellence and unwavering dedication to the sport.

India Seek Redemption After ODI Series Defeat

Team India, led by Shubman Gill, will look to bounce back after a disappointing ODI series loss to Australia. The hosts clinched the first two matches by seven and two wickets, respectively, before sealing a nine-wicket win in the final game. With the T20I series beginning, India aim to regain momentum and confidence ahead of the next ICC events.

Pathan’s Top Order: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill Lead the Charge

Pathan picked Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill as openers. Gill, who struggled in the Asia Cup, will hope to find form on Australian pitches. Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav (captain) are slotted at No.3 and No.4, respectively. Both youngsters were standout performers during the Asia Cup 2025, with Abhishek scoring 314 runs at a strike rate of 200 and Tilak contributing 213 runs in six innings.

Middle Order and All-Round Options

Sanju Samson was named as the wicketkeeper-batter, while Axar Patel and Shivam Dube were included as the team’s all-rounders. Pathan emphasized that both can provide balance to the lineup with bat and ball.

Varun Chakaravarthy Over Kuldeep Yadav

With Hardik Pandya sidelined by injury, Pathan opted for a pace-dominated attack comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana. For the lone specialist spinner slot, he chose Varun Chakaravarthy over Kuldeep Yadav, citing the former’s ability to bowl in the powerplay and add a “mystery element” to India’s bowling unit.

Pathan on Team Balance

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Pathan said Harshit Rana’s cameo in the second ODI gave the management confidence in his batting abilities lower down the order.

“If Harshit plays at No.8, India’s order till No.7 looks strong with two all-rounders—Dube and Axar—who can together deliver six overs,” Pathan noted. “Then you can play two frontline pacers in Arshdeep and Jasprit. As for the spinner, I’m leaning toward Chakaravarthy because he can bowl in the powerplay. But if the team management prefers Kuldeep, that’s also not a big issue.”

Irfan Pathan’s Predicted India XI for 1st T20I vs Australia

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy

India will hope this combination helps them start the T20I series on a winning note against a confident Australian side.