As India get ready to start them Five-match T20I series In Australia The former Indian fast bowler is in Canberra starting from October 29. zaheer khan has identified key influential players who can decide the competition.
Zaheer Khan names influential players ahead of Australia vs India T20 series 2025
According to Indian opener Zaheer Abhishek Sharma and Australian Southeastern travis head What promises to be an electrifying series has the potential to be the X-factor for their respective sides. Abhishek has been India’s best player in this format last year and after being named in the series, he has been in excellent form. best player of the tournament in india asia cup 2025 Triumphant. The young left-hander is currently on top of the ICC T20I batsman rankings and will be looking to continue his purple patch on Australian soil.
On the other hand, despite Head’s poor performance this year at an average of just 11.66 in nine matches, the explosive opener’s record against India is a positive indicator. He averages over 36 and has a strike rate over 150 against the Blue team in T20Is, which makes him a major threat, especially in home conditions, where he has flourished in the past.
Zaheer Khan believes that India will enter the series as favorites given their impressive form in the shorter format. Speaking to Cricbuzz, the former fast bowler highlighted the consistency and balance of the team across all departments. He said that the return of Jasprit Bumrah has greatly strengthened India’s bowling attack, while the aggressive approach of their batsmen keeps the opposition teams under pressure. India have been virtually unbeatable since their invincible run in T20s, winning 24 of their last 27 matches. 2024 t20 world cup In west indies And usa,
“Based on how they (India) are going about their business in this format, they should be favourites. It looks challenging for any team to beat this Indian team. Also, Bumrah is also back, which will definitely boost the bowling side of things. The batsmen are also fearless, so it is definitely beneficial for India.” Zaheer said.
Also read: Will Shreyas Iyer miss the ODI series against South Africa? Here’s what we know
Zaheer sees opportunity for Indian all-rounder’s development
Apart from the battle for the top order, Zaheer also stressed the importance of assessing India’s all-round depth. He said that this series provides an ideal platform for evaluation Shivam DubeyContribution especially in the absence of bowling hardik pandyaDubey’s performance in the Asia Cup, where he took five wickets at an impressive economy of under 7.8, earned praise for his control and adaptability.
Zaheer suggested that the India management would keep an eye on whether Dubey can bowl one or two overs regularly and provide balance to the team. His role became crucial in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, where he conceded just 23 runs in three overs during a powerplay under pressure.
“Whether they have enough confidence in Shivam Dubey to do the job or not. They tried to do that in the UAE when Hardik was not available for the final. So they will use this opportunity to see if Dubey can raise his hand and contribute consistently over one or two overs,” He added.
As India and Australia begin their 2025 T20I rivalry, all eyes will be on how rising stars like Abhishek and seasoned campaigners like Head shape the narrative of this much-awaited series.
Also read: Top 5 players with most ODI centuries against Australia, Rohit Sharma
