Out to strike Gold on Coast

Carrara (Gold Coast): Shubman Gill will be looking to turn it around with a big knock after what has been an underwhelming tour when a confident India aim to go one up against a depleted Australia in the fourth T20 International here on Thursday.

The series is locked at 1-1 after three games and the absence of Josh Hazlewood in the previous game did make a difference to Australia’s defence of a standard total of 186.

Going into the fourth game, there won’t be any Travis Head for Australia as the opener is set to play Sheffield Shield to prepare for the Ashes.

With two pillars of the rival team unavailable, this is the best chance for India to go 2-1 up before the final game at the Gabba and wrap up a series win.

In the last game, India finally did look to get their combination right within their ambit of having an all-rounder at No. 8.

However, what will slightly bother the Indian team management is skipper Shubman Gill’s form in the series as he has now played six games without a half-century. The sequence of scores since the start of the ODI series reads 10, 9, 24, 37 not out, 5, and 15. The only time he looked in good nick was at Canberra when he stitched a nice little stand with skipper Suryakumar Yadav.

Gill has been troubled by fuller deliveries with a hint of movement and throughout the better part, he hasn’t exactly looked in the regal touch which has made him the player that he is. At the other end, Abhishek Sharma has done his reputation no harm as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter with a fine half-century and two quick starts in the series.

At the other end, Abhishek Sharma has done his reputation no harm as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter with a fine half-century and two quick starts in the series.

However Gill, who will have to switch on to the red ball mode in a week’s time, will certainly get a lot of confidence if he gets some runs irrespective of the format he is playing.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav has shown some glimpses of his vintage self in the first and third matches with two good starts.

But he would also like to get some runs under the belt now that there will be a month-long break before the next series against

South Africa.