Gill Hunts Form as India Push for Series Advantage in Fourth T20

Shubman Gill will be looking to find his rhythm again as India attempt to move ahead in the T20 series against a weakened Australia in Thursday’s fourth match. The contest is poised at 1-1 after three games, and Australia’s earlier match—played without Josh Hazlewood—allowed India to chase a modest 186 with relative ease.

Australia are further depleted with opener Travis Head absent as he returns to Sheffield Shield duties to sharpen up for the Ashes. With two notable absences, India have a clear opportunity to seize the initiative ahead of the series decider at the Gabba.

India experimented effectively in the last game, slotting in an additional all-round option at No. 8, but Gill’s recent run of scores remains a worry. The vice-captain has now gone six innings without a fifty, posting 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5 and 15 since the ODI leg of the tour.

Gill has been troubled by fuller deliveries that move a touch, and he has yet to show the batting fluency that has defined his rise. In contrast, Abhishek Sharma — currently ranked the world’s No.1 T20 batter — has delivered a fifty and a couple of brisk starts. Runs in this match would help Gill regain self-belief ahead of India’s upcoming red-ball commitments against South Africa.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav has flashed signs of vintage touch with steady starts in games one and three, and he’ll be keen to build momentum before a month-long break leading into the South Africa tour. He is also expected to feature for Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy meeting with Puducherry during the interval.

The bowling mix looks more settled with Arshdeep Singh back in the XI, while Kuldeep Yadav has been rested to focus on Test preparations. India’s management are still weighing their spin and pace combinations; when Arshdeep plays, Washington Sundar’s inclusion proved pivotal in the third match thanks to his fluent 23-ball 49.

Australia will lean on Mitchell Marsh and Tim David for big hitting. With Head unavailable, Matthew Short is likely to partner Marsh at the top. The visitors may tinker with their attack too, with Sean Abbott under review and names like Ben Dwarshuis or Mahli Beardman mentioned as options.

India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Phillippe (WK), Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis