New Delhi, Oct 27: A new format brings new hope. As the afternoon sun shone over Manuka Oval in Canberra, Suryakumar Yadav’s men began their T20 preparations with renewed energy and purpose. Having stumbled in the ODI series, India now eye redemption as they switch gears for the five-match T20I series against Australia, beginning Wednesday.

The training session reflected a mix of intensity and calm. Players were seen going through running and stretching drills, fine-tuning their movements and coordination. Head coach Gautam Gambhir kept a close watch on proceedings, offering tactical insights and ensuring every player stayed focused on the task ahead.

While the ODI defeat exposed areas to address, the shorter format gives this young Indian side a clean slate and a chance to reassert their flair. The Suryakumar-led squad, featuring a blend of fresh faces and proven performers, will look to set the tone early in what promises to be an exciting contest.

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For Australia, under Mitchell Marsh’s leadership, the aim will be to build on their ODI success and carry that confidence into the T20s. With both teams viewing this series as a crucial preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the upcoming matches could define key strategies and player roles in the months ahead.

India’s T20 identity has always been built on fearless cricket, and under new leadership, that spark seems ready to reignite. Canberra could just be the beginning of something special.

All five T20Is will begin at 1:45 PM IST, with the toss scheduled 30 minutes prior to the start.

The Squads

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

Australia: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

(IANS)