India vs Australia 2025 Both Teams Best Playing 11 for T20 Series

With Hardik Pandya ruled out, discover the upcoming India vs Australia 2025 T20 series likely best playing 11 for both teams.

If we talk about the two most dangerous T20 teams in the world right now, it has to be India and Australia. Both teams are filled with T20 superstars, and a clash between these two teams will not only bring an adrenaline rush but also an excitement on an epic level. So, after a less-challenging Asia Cup 2025 and India vs West Indies Test series, fans are eagerly waiting for India’s Tour of Australia 2025.

Team India’s Australia tour begins just after the India vs West Indies Test series, from October 19. The tour starts with the 3-match ODI series, but the excitement will be of epic proportions when the 5-match T20 series begins. Team India have already announced the T20 squad, and Suryakumar Yadav shall continue to lead the team with Shubman Gill as his deputy. Meanwhile, the Australian team shall be led by Mitchell Marsh in both formats.

The 5-match T20 series shall act as an important preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. No better team for India than Australia to test their strength, and the series happens to be at the right time when Team India are peaking in all directions. But with Hardik Pandya missing, what’s the likely playing 11 for Team India for the T20 series? Well, let’s analyse the squads of both teams, and find out the strongest possible playing 11 for the India vs Australia 2025 T20 series.

India vs Australia 2025 Official T20 Squad for Indian Team

Batters

• Rinku Singh
• Shubman Gill
• Suryakumar Yadav (c)
• Tilak Varma

WKs

• Jitesh Sharma
• Sanju Samson

All-rounders

• Abhishek Sharma
• Axar Patel
• Nitish Reddy
• Shivam Dube
• Washington Sundar

Bowlers

• Arshdeep Singh
• Harshit Rana
• Jasprit Bumrah
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Varun Chakravarthy

If we observe the current Indian T20 team, it is almost identical to the one that was selected for the Asia Cup 2025 – except for 2 key changes. While Hardik Pandya has been ruled out of the T20 series due to injury, in his place, Team India have selected Nitish Reddy. Also, given the T20 series will see a total of 5 matches, India have also selected Washington Sundar as the 16th member for his All-round abilities.

While the addition of Sundar may not make much of a difference ot this Indian team, the absence of Hardik Pandya may affect the team dynamics drastically. Hardik, as we know, was an integral member of the team – contributing in all three departments equally. With Hardik not there, India may miss those crucial 3-4 overs, which Hardik bowls in the powerplay and in the death overs. But who takes his place in the team?

Now, the ideal like-for-like replacement for Haridk is undoubtedly Nitish Reddy, as Shivam Dube will anyway make it to the playing 11 as first-choice All-rounder. Nitish may not be express pace as Hardik, but he, Dube, and Abhishek can contribute 4 overs together with Axar, Kuldeep, Bumrah, and Varun contributing the other 16 overs. The role of Axar becomes extremely crucial here, given he was’t been utilised as a bowler much in the Asia Cup 2025. 

India vs Australia 2025 T20 Series Likely Best Playing 11 for the Indian Team

1. Shubman Gill
2. Abhishek Sharma
3. Suryakumar Yadav (c)
4. Tilak Varma
5. Sanju Samson (wk)
6. Shivam Dube
7. Axar Patel
8. Nitish Reddy
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. Jasprit Bumrah
11. Varun Chakravarthy

So, that’s how the strongest playing 11 for Team India looks. Overall, India, if they follow the same approach as they had in the Asia Cup 2025, they will have All-rounders in the team with batting till 8. The bowling will once again see only three primary bowlers: Bumrah, Varun, and Kuldeep. So, expecting 8 overs from All-rounders without Hardik may be a defensive strategy. If India actually wants to compete with Australia, having Arshdeep in place of Nitish will be a good strategy. 

India vs Aus 2025 Official Squad for the Australian Team

Batters

• Matthew Short
• Mitchell Owen
• Tim David
• Travis Head

WKs

• Josh Inglis

All-rounders

• Marcus Stoinis
• Mitchell Marsh

Bowlers

• Adam Zampa
• Ben Dwarshuis
• Josh Hazlewood
• Matthew Kuhnemann
• Nathan Ellis
• Sean Abbott
• Xavier Bartlett

Talking about the Australian team, they have selected only 14 players for the 1st and 2nd T20Is. The team will be without first-choice players, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins. Without these two, the team will be dependent on the likes of Mitchell Owen and Ben Dwarshuis. The team will depend on the likes of Head, Marsh, Inglis, Zampa, and Hazlewood. Overall, Australia still has a solid playing 11, and can ve a tough fight to the Indian team, even without some of their star players missing. 

India vs Aus 2025 T20 Series Likely Best Playing 11 for Australia

1. Travis Head 
2. Mitchell Marsh (c)
3. Matthew Short
4. Josh Inglis (wk)
5. Marcus Stoinis
6. Tim David
7. Mitchell Owen
8. Adam Zampa
9. Ben Dwarshuis
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Nathan Ellis

India vs Australia 2025 T20 Series Schedule

• 1st T20I, October 29, 2025 @ Canberra
• 2nd T20I, October 31, 2025 @ Melbourne
• 3rd T20I, November 02, 2025 @ Hobart
• 4th T20I, November 06, 2025 @ Gold Coast
• 5th T20I, November 08, 2025 @ Brisbane

Thanks for reading! What’s your best playing 11 for Team India for the India vs Australia 2025 T20 series? Please share your thoughts at business@cricalytics.com

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