Former Australia captain Michael Clarke recently predicted that Team India’s young opener Abhishek Sharma will emerge as the top scorer in the upcoming five-match T20I series. However, the former batsman backed Mitchell Marsh’s side to victory in the five-game contest by a 3-1 margin.
India is scheduled to begin the T20I series against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. After losing the ODI series 1-2, the visiting team will be looking to bounce back and regain momentum. The Men in Blue last toured Australia in the shorter format in 2020-21, winning the series 2-1.
Michael Clarke predicts Abhishek Sharma to be top run-getter
Michael Clarke on the Beyond23 Cricket podcast said Abhishek Sharma has the skills to represent India in all three formats. Clarke said the left-handed batsman has all the shots and called him a “superstar” in the T20 format.
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“I think he (Abhishek) is ready to play for India in all three formats. It’s difficult when only 11 players and six batsmen are available. But in this format, I think he’s an absolute superstar. He’s an opening batsman, he’s left-handed, he can play all the shots,” Clarke said.
Clarke predicted Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa to finish as the top wicket-taker in the upcoming T20I series. One of Australia’s most reliable performers in this format, Zampa has taken 131 wickets in 106 T20Is at an impressive average of 21.38 and economy rate of 7.33.
Abhishek Sharma is doing wonders in 2025
Abhishek Sharma has been in exceptional form in 2025, scoring 593 runs in 12 T20Is at an average of close to 50 and a strike rate of over 200. The left-hander has scored 849 runs in 24 matches at an average of nearly 37 and a strike rate of 196.07 (including two centuries and a fifty-five).
He last played for India at the 2025 Asia Cup, where he won the Player of the Year award. The southpaw scored 314 runs at a strike rate of 200 and an average of 44.85.
Abhishek Sharma also tops the ICC T20I batting rankings with 926. The upcoming five-game series will be Australia’s first appearance, and they will aim to continue their amazing form there.
Michael Clarke predicts Australia vs India T20I winner
Michael Clarke has predicted that Australia will beat India 3-1 in the upcoming five-match T20I series, although one match could be affected by rain.
He noted that both teams come into the contest in good shape. India has been an overwhelming force since winning the 2024 T20 World Cup undefeated, winning 24 of the next 27 matches.
Australia bounced back admirably from an early World Cup exit, securing 16 wins from the last 18 T20Is and winning their fourth consecutive bilateral series.
However, India had the upper hand in recent head-to-head matches. The Men in Blue have won seven of the last eight T20Is and have also won the last three series against Australia.
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