A high-octane contest awaits as Australia and India lock horns in the opening T20I of their much-anticipated multi-format series, beginning February 15. The three-match T20I leg sets the tone for a tour that carries both rivalry and World Cup significance, with England set to host the Women’s T20 World Cup in June.
The T20I series will be played across three iconic Australian venues. The opening match takes place in Sydney, followed by fixtures in Canberra and Adelaide. Each encounter is scheduled as a night game, adding to the spectacle and intensity of the contest.
Australia enters the series with a notable shift in leadership. Sophie Molineux takes charge of the T20 side following Alyssa Healy’s retirement from the format, marking a transition phase for the reigning powerhouse of women’s cricket. With Beth Mooney expected to handle wicketkeeping duties and Georgia Voll set to establish herself as a full-time opener, Australia’s lineup blends experience with emerging talent.
While the core of the squad remains strong with players like Ashleigh Gardner, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt and Tahlia McGrath, this series will test how quickly the new leadership group can settle into their roles.
India arrives in Australia carrying confidence and continuity. Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy, the visitors have been in strong T20I form, including a dominant clean sweep in their most recent series. The return of Shreyanka Patil after a long injury layoff adds depth to the spin department, while the recall of Bharti Fulmali provides added middle-order options.
India’s batting unit, featuring Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, has shown consistency and intent, while their bowling attack, spearheaded by Renuka Singh and supported by a varied spin group has grown increasingly disciplined in recent outings.
Australia have not played a T20I series in recent months, but their record in bilateral series remains formidable. India, on the other hand, have been unbeaten in their last five bilateral T20I series, making this clash a compelling contest of form versus pedigree.
The rivalry between the two sides has intensified in recent years, highlighted by memorable encounters across formats. While Australia edged India in their most recent T20 World Cup meeting, India will draw belief from their historic ODI World Cup semi-final win late last year, adding another layer of intrigue to this series.
Beyond early points in the multi-format series, the T20Is offer both teams a vital opportunity to fine-tune combinations ahead of the global tournament in June. For Australia, it’s about settling into a new leadership era while maintaining dominance at home. For India, it’s a chance to challenge the benchmark side in their own conditions and assert themselves as genuine World Cup contenders.
With firepower on both sides, contrasting styles, and a growing rivalry, the Australia v India T20I series promises high-quality cricket and closely fought moments from start to finish.
Australia v India Multi-Format Series
Australia T20I squad: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Shreyanka Patil
Australia ODI squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Kashvee Gautam, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry, Harleen Deol
Australia Test squad: Alyssa Healy (c), Sophie Molineux (vc), Darcie Brown, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Lucy Hamilton, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, Ellyse Perry, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India Test squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Uma Chetry, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Kranti Gaud, Vaishnavi Sharma, Sayali Satghare
Series schedule:
First T20I: February 15, Sydney
Second T20I: February 19, Canberra
Third T20I: February 21, Adelaide
First ODI: February 24, Brisbane
Second ODI: February 27, Hobart
Third ODI: March 1, Hobart
One-off Test: March 6-9, Perth
