Date: Sunday, November 2, 2025
Time: 1:45 PM IST (7:15 PM local time)
Venue: Bellerive Oval, Hobart, Tasmania
Series Status: Australia leads 1-0 (one match abandoned)
Toss: To be updated
The Story So Far
Australia holds a 1-0 lead in this five-match T20I series after winning the second game in Melbourne by four wickets. The first match in Canberra was washed out due to rain.
In Melbourne, India struggled with the extra bounce and pace, getting bowled out for just 125 runs. Only opener Abhishek Sharma (68 off 37 balls) showed the skill to handle the tricky conditions. Australia chased down the target easily in 13.2 overs, despite losing six wickets.
Now India travels to Hobart, a ground where they have never played a T20I before. The visitors need to win this match to keep the series alive and avoid going 2-0 down.
Likely Playing XIs
Australia (probable)
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Inside Sport India
- Travis Head
- Mitchell Marsh (c)
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Tim David
- Mitchell Owen
- Glenn Maxwell
- Marcus Stoinis
- Xavier Bartlett
- Sean Abbott
- Nathan Ellis
- Matthew Kuhnemann
Key Change: Glenn Maxwell returns to the squad after recovering from injury. Josh Hazlewood has been rested and will join the Test squad for the Ashes preparation.
India (probable)
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Inside Sport India, The Week
- Shubman Gill (vc)
- Abhishek Sharma
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Shivam Dube
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh (likely in for Axar Patel)
Possible Change: Arshdeep Singh may replace Axar Patel, who didn’t bowl in the last match and scored only 7 runs. This would give India three specialist fast bowlers on a pitch expected to help pace.
Pitch and Weather Report
Pitch Conditions
The Bellerive Oval pitch offers good pace and bounce, which should help fast bowlers. Early-season Australian pitches have produced lower scores in T20Is. Matches played in October and November at Hobart have averaged only 148 runs in the first innings, compared to 190 in February games.
The boundaries are smaller on the sides, so batters who can cut and pull well should enjoy batting here. However, the length will be important for bowlers.
Weather Forecast
Source: Sportskeeda
- Temperature: Around 22°C during the match
- Conditions: Mostly cloudy skies
- Rain Chance: 10% during match hours (low risk)
- Night Weather: Higher chance of rain later (90% after the match)
A full game is expected, though the cloud cover might help fast bowlers get some movement.
Players to Watch
| Role | Player | Why Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Batter | Abhishek Sharma (IND) | The only Indian batter who handled the Melbourne pitch well, scoring 68 off 37 balls. He knows how to use pace and bounce to his advantage. |
| Batter | Travis Head (AUS) | A dangerous opener who loves playing in Australia. He can take the game away from India in the powerplay. |
| Batter | Sanju Samson (IND) | Needs just 5 runs to reach 1,000 T20I runs. He struggled in Melbourne and will want to prove himself. |
| Batter | Glenn Maxwell (AUS) | Returns to the team after injury. Known for match-winning knocks and is one wicket away from 50 T20I wickets. |
| Bowler | Jasprit Bumrah (IND) | India’s best bowler who can trouble any batting lineup. He took important wickets in Melbourne. |
| Bowler | Nathan Ellis (AUS) | The local hero who captains Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL. He knows these conditions perfectly. |
| Bowler | Arshdeep Singh (IND) | If he plays, he’ll be India’s third specialist fast bowler. He has over 100 T20I wickets and is deadly with the new ball. |
What to Expect
This match is crucial for India. Going 2-0 down in a five-match series would make the comeback very difficult. The good news is that Josh Hazlewood, who took 3 wickets for 13 runs in Melbourne, won’t play.
India’s batters, especially captain Suryakumar Yadav (1 run) and vice-captain Shubman Gill (5 runs), need to step up. They looked good in the first match before rain stopped play, so they have the skills – they just need to adjust better.
Adding Arshdeep Singh would help India’s bowling on a pace-friendly pitch. With three fast bowlers and two quality spinners (Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy), India’s bowling looks balanced.
For Australia, the return of Glenn Maxwell adds more firepower to their middle order. They’ll be confident after the Melbourne win, but cricket can change quickly.
Hobart has never hosted an India T20I before, so both teams are on equal footing when it comes to experience at this ground.
Prediction
This should be a close contest. Australia has home advantage and momentum, but India showed in Canberra that they can score big. The pitch might offer more help to batters than Melbourne did.
Our Pick: India to bounce back and level the series. Expect a score between 160-180 in the first innings. The team batting second might have an advantage due to dew in the evening.
Where to Watch:
- India: Star Sports Network (TV) and JioHotstar (streaming)
- Australia: Kayo Sports and Foxtel