India eye momentum in T20I series with rain threat looming large at the MCG

The Men in Blue are all set to take centrestage for the second T20I after incessant rains led to a washout in the series opener. While the forecast doesn't sound promising to allow for a great game at the MCG, India will hope to make the most of every opportunity they get to put the hosts under the pump.

It goes without saying that India will be hopeful of their captain, Suryakumar Yadav, showing them the way if they are to take down a stacked Australian bowling unit. In the first game, Abhishek Sharma did get a quickfire start in the opener before his cameo came to a halt prematurely. SKY and Shubman Gill took on the onus of the scoring and smashed a few boundaries, before the rains hampered play.

While Australia do have seasoned performers to rely on, India's showcase will be one brimming with talent and potential - with the likes of Abhishek, Tilak among others having proved their mettle previously, batters who are capable of setting the cat among the pigeons in the opposition camp. On the bowling front, India will undoubtedly lean on the experience of Jasprit Bumrah, but the X-factor that the combination of Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav bring in could already be a cause of concern for the hard-hitting batters in the Aussie lineup.

One can expect this to be a cracker of a contest as two powerhouses of cricket's fastest lane collide head-on in Melbourne.

Venue Watch:

Melbourne has always been a surface synonymous with pace and bounce. It's hard for the batters to make a move early with the new ball drifting around while for the bowlers, once the lacquer is off, it will be a test of their discipline. However, rain will have the biggest say, and it remains to be seen if fans can be treated to a full 40-over game.

Match details:

Match - India vs Australia, 2nd T20I

Venue – MCG, Melbourne

Date – 31st October, 2025

Time – 1:45 PM

Head-to-head:

Matches played - 33

India - 20

Australia - 11

Squads:

India:

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar

Australia:

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Philippe (wicket-keeper), Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha