IND vs AUS: Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson out! Gautam Gambhir makes three Playing XI changes for 3rd T20I | Cricket News

India’s Harshit Rana (James Ross/AAP Image via AP)

Team India made three changes to their Playing XI for the third T20 International against Australia at the Bellerive Oval on Sunday, with head coach Gautam Gambhir continuing to tweak combinations ahead of next year’s T20 World Cup.India won the toss and opted to bowl first, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav confirming that Jitesh Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, and Washington Sundar returned to the side. Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, and Kuldeep Yadav made way. The visitors are chasing a series lead after rain washed out the previous game in Canberra.“We are going to bowl first. The ball should come nicely onto the bat later. We’re happy to take it one game at a time,” said Suryakumar at the toss.Australia, led by Mitchell Marsh, also made one change, bringing Sean Abbott in for Josh Hazlewood. “It’s a belter of a wicket,” Marsh said. “We want to start well and post a big total.”The match marks India’s first T20I appearance at Hobart, a venue known for high-scoring encounters. Australia remain unbeaten here in five T20 internationals, having previously beaten Pakistan, West Indies, and England.After a mixed outing for batters and a defeat in Melbourne, India’s top order will be under scrutiny once again. The team’s experimentation at the MCG, including Samson batting at No. 3 and Harshit’s promotion over Shivam Dube, drew attention as Gambhir continues to search for the right balance. The spotlight will again be on young openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, while Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and Varun Chakaravarthy form a spin-heavy middle order on a surface expected to assist stroke play.With Hobart’s batting-friendly pitch and both teams chasing momentum, fans can expect another run-fest and perhaps a clearer picture of India’s evolving World Cup blueprint.Australia (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh(c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis(w), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Short, Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew KuhnemannIndia (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma(w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah