First T20 international: India v Australia betting preview, team news and tip

First Twenty20 international
1.30pm Sunday

India's run of seven straight Twenty20 series wins came to an end with a 1-1 draw in Australia and a 2-1 defeat in New Zealand but they are hot favourites to beat the Aussies in Visakhapatnam.

It's the first of two 20-over clashes between the sides before a five-match one-day series and India skipper Virat Kohli will be delighted to return to a venue where he has scored 118, 117, 99, 65 and 157 not out in five ODIs.

Kohli is 5-2 favourite to top-score in the shortest format but it was interesting to hear him single out Marcus Stoinis as a key man for Australia.

The all-rounder had an outstanding Big Bash campaign for Melbourne Stars, scoring 533 runs and taking 14 wickets in 13 games, and the 8-1 that he top-scores for the tourists is well worth a bet.

Stoinis is expected to bat in the top four and he played a couple of useful knocks in November's T20 series against India, scoring 33 not out off 19 balls in Brisbane and an unbeaten 25 off 15 deliveries in Sydney.

Recommendation
M Stoinis top Australia runscorer
1pt 8-1 bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes

Team news
India
Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, rested for the 2-1 Twenty20 series defeat in New Zealand, should return but all-rounder Hardik Pandya (back) will not feature in the Twenty20 or ODI series.

Australia
D'Arcy Short, player of the tournament in the Big Bash, could partner Aaron Finch at the top of the order.

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