Australia – more to the point, Canberra’s weather – have postponed facing fast bowling superstar Jasprit Bumrah after opting to field first before the opening Twenty20 against India was washed out.
Bumrah was confirmed as an inclusion at Manuka Oval on Wednesday night after Indian vice-captain Shreyas Iyer was ruled out with a lacerated spleen, suffered during the final one-day international match on Saturday.
Australia won the three-match series 2-1 but were off to a rough start in the five-match series against the reigning T20 world champions in front of a sold-out crowd, overwhelmingly made up of vocal India supporters.
Josh Hazlewood led the bowling attack for the Australians in the chilly, overcast conditions, while Josh Philippe was included in the national side for the first time in two years.
He replaced Matthew Short, who has undergone surgery for a severe cut on his finger.
Indian opener Abhishek Sharma smacked a breezy 19 from 14 deliveries before he spooned a catch to Tim David at mid-off from Nathan Ellis.
Play was then delayed with the visitors 1-43 after just five overs.
Upon resumption, captain Suryakumar Yadav joined Shubman Gill in putting the foot down as India blasted their way to 97 with two balls left in the 10th over when rain again struck.
Yadav had blasted his way to 39 from 24 with two sixes and three fours while Gill was 37 from 20 with four boundaries and a six.
This time the rain did not ease up and play was abandoned after 10pm when it became clear there would be no result even in a shortened contest.
© AAP