To Thiruvananthapuram then, which is as far south as international cricket travels in India. When the Greenfield International Stadium here made its international cricket debut in 2017, the then India captain Virat Kohli had expressed "surprise" at why the venue hadn't hosted games earlier, so impressed he was with the outfield, the crowd and facilities in general. Six years later, this second T20I between India and Australia is going to be the sixth international cricket game here despite a two-year Covid timeout. That's impressive by Indian standards, given there are so many venues to choose from.
AUSTRALIA TOUR OF INDIA 2023
Conditions in the spotlight as new-look India look to extend winning momentum
Mukesh Kumar and Rinku Singh did their reputation no harm in the series opener © AFP
Once again, the challenge upfront will be about adjusting to the nuances of conditions at this venue. Compared to Visakhapatnam, the pitch in this coastal city is likely to be slower, the bounce lower and the sun hotter, but India of all teams would know that conditions alone won't be enough to stump Australia.
India of course come into this game full of confidence, having pulled off their highest successful T20I run-chase despite a squad rife with inexperience. Mukesh Kumar's immaculate death bowling, Rinku Singh's finishing skills and the overall intent from everyone, including Yashasvi, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav the captain himself, was notable but there's work to be done, especially with regards to running between the wickets. The first match saw as many as three run-outs, a joint-most for India in the format.
For Australia, Josh Inglis's 47-ball hundred and Jason Behrendorff's frugal spell with the ball, which saw him adeptly use slower deliveries on a true batting surface, stood out in a close two-wicket defeat. And the team would have left Visakhapatnam knowing that it was a match that could have easily gone their way, so less separated the two teams. They would ideally want to touch down in Guwahati one-all.
When: India vs Australia, 2nd T20I, Sunday, 26 November 2023, 7:00pm local
Where: Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram
What to expect: Some help in the surface for the bowlers.
