Match: 5th T20I – India Tour of Australia 2025
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
Time: 1:45 PM IST (6:15 PM local time)
Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane, Australia
Series Status: India leads 2-1 (Series already won by India)
Toss: To be announced
Series Context
India has already sealed the series with an unbeatable 2-1 lead after their commanding 48-run victory in the fourth T20I at Carrara Oval. The visitors are now looking to complete a clean sweep on Australian soil, which would be their first series whitewash Down Under in nine years.
For Australia, it’s about salvaging pride and finishing the home summer on a positive note. Despite losing the series, the hosts will want to level the scoreline at 2-2 and show they can compete against the reigning T20 World Cup champions.
Expected Playing XIs
India (Likely XI)
Source: ESPNcricinfo, India.com
- Abhishek Sharma
- Shubman Gill
- Suryakumar Yadav (c)
- Tilak Varma
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Jitesh Sharma (wk) / Sanju Samson (wk)
- Shivam Dube
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Jasprit Bumrah / Harshit Rana
Note: India may rest Jasprit Bumrah for this dead rubber match and give chances to bench players like Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, or Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Australia (Likely XI)
Source: ESPNcricinfo, Cricket.com.au
- Matthew Short
- Mitchell Marsh (c)
- Josh Inglis (wk)
- Tim David
- Mitchell Owen / Josh Philippe
- Marcus Stoinis
- Glenn Maxwell
- Xavier Bartlett
- Ben Dwarshuis
- Nathan Ellis
- Adam Zampa
Note: Australia may bring back Mitchell Owen after Josh Philippe scored only 10 in the last match.
Pitch Report – The Gabba
The Gabba pitch is famous for being one of the bounciest tracks in Australia. Here’s what to expect:
- Batting Paradise: The pitch usually favors batters with true bounce and good carry
- Pace and Bounce: Fast bowlers get excellent bounce, especially in the first 6 overs
- Average First Innings Score: Around 166 in T20Is
- Big Boundaries: Square boundaries are 60-65 meters, testing the batters
- Batting First Advantage: Teams batting first have a better record at this venue
The pitch should offer more assistance to pacers than spinners, which could be good news for Australia after struggling against India’s spin trio in the last two matches.
Source: myKhel, ESPNcricinfo
Weather Forecast
Rain could play a major role in this match. According to AccuWeather:
- Rain Probability: 79% chance of precipitation
- Cloud Cover: 99% chance of overcast conditions
- Temperature: Around 22-24°C
- Humidity: 80-81%
- Thunderstorms: Possible in the afternoon, reducing to 23% by evening
The high humidity could help swing bowlers, and rain interruptions may force a reduced-overs game. If the match is abandoned, India will win the series, so weather could become India’s friend.
Source: Outlook India, India.com
Players to Watch
| Team | Batters | Bowlers |
|---|---|---|
| India | Abhishek Sharma (explosive opener), Tilak Varma (consistent run-scorer), Suryakumar Yadav (skipper) | Varun Chakravarthy (mystery spinner), Axar Patel (all-rounder), Arshdeep Singh (left-arm pacer) |
| Australia | Mitchell Marsh (captain), Tim David (finisher), Marcus Stoinis (all-rounder) | Xavier Bartlett (pace bowler), Nathan Ellis (death specialist), Adam Zampa (leg-spinner) |
Key Battles
- Australia’s Batting vs India’s Spin Trio: Can Australia finally crack the code against Varun Chakravarthy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar?
- Shubman Gill’s Form: The vice-captain needs a big score to secure his T20I spot with competition from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson.
- Pace at The Gabba: Will Australian fast bowlers use the bounce and pace to trouble India’s top order?
What to Expect
India will be confident after winning the series but may experiment with their playing XI since the series is already won. Expect them to give chances to Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, or Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Australia, playing at their fortress, The Gabba, will want to end the series on a high. The pace-friendly conditions should suit their style better than the slow, turning tracks in the last two games.
Weather could be the deciding factor. If rain washes out the match, India wins 2-1. A full game promises to be high-scoring with both teams looking to play aggressive cricket.
Prediction: India have momentum and better team balance. Even if they rest key players, their bench strength is strong enough to win. India should take the series 3-1, but if Australia’s batters handle the spin better at The Gabba, they could level it 2-2.
Where to Watch:
- India: Star Sports Network, JioCinema/JioHotstar App
- Australia: Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports
- Global: ICC.tv platform
Get ready for an exciting finale at The Gabba as India aims to complete a historic series sweep in Australia!