3 things to look forward to in the 3rd India vs Australia T20I ft. Shubman Gill

India are all set to lock horns with Australia in the third T20I of the five-match series on Sunday, November 2. The encounter will be contested at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart.

The series has been a gripping affair so far even though the opening game at the Manuka Oval was washed out. The hosts took a 1-0 lead with a solid bowling display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, breaking a long run of T20I victories for the Indian side.

The Men in Blue won't be outdone for long and are expected to come out all guns blazing in Hobart. Another enticing contest is on the cards.

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 to look forward to in the third T20I between India and Australia.

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#3 Can Shubman Gill keep pace with Abhishek Sharma at the other end?

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

Abhishek Sharma has nailed down his spot at the top of the order in T20Is with a series of sensational knocks. He put the Indian batting lineup on his back during the 2025 Asia Cup and seems to be in excellent nick Down Under as well.

At the other end, his good friend Shubman Gill isn't quite at his best. Although he made a few runs in Canberra, he had a few close shaves. And the vice-captain fell cheaply in Melbourne while trying to take on Hazlewood, who had him in all sorts of trouble in the first over.

Can Gill keep up with Abhishek? Players like Yashasvi Jaiswal are waiting for their chance, and India's faith in the right-hander might wane if he doesn't come up with a series of good performances.

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#2 Glenn Maxwell is back

T20 Spring Challenge - Melbourne Stars v Hobart Hurricanes - Source: Getty

After some time on the sidelines with a fractured wrist, Glenn Maxwell is available for selection once again. The dynamic all-rounder is expected to return to the fray in Hobart, where he could play instead of Matt Short.

Maxwell could have a big role to play upon his return. He is one of the few Aussie batters who can take down any spinner in the world, even ones as threatening as Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav. Moreover, with India having a plethora of left-handers, he could be used with the ball as well.

Maxwell is as entertaining as they come, and how he fares upon his comeback will be an interesting storyline to keep an eye on.

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#1 Suryakumar Yadav is in desperate need of T20I runs

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

Suryakumar Yadav's 2025 isn't going to plan so far despite a prolific Indian Premier League campaign. The Indian skipper is woefully short of runs in the T20I format and was thoroughly worked over by Hazlewood in the previous game.

Talk of SKY's lack of returns is already doing the runs, and India will need their main man to step up. He needs to give himself some time in the middle and access other areas of the ground, with his usual scoring shots not giving him the desired results.