The first T20 International between Australia and India was washed out by the Canberra rain on Wednesday. Batting first, India was able to bat for less than half of their allocated 20 overs for a total of 97 runs for the loss of one wicket when the match was abandoned. The second match in the T20 series takes place at Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
Shubman Gill was 37 not out alongside skipper Suryakumar Yadav (39) when the first clash in a five-match series was stopped for the second and final time after 9.4 overs. India opener Abhishek Sharma had already toe-ended a Nathan Ellis delivery to Tim David at mid-off for 19 when drizzle brought play to an end for the first time and the match was reduced to 18 overs a side. Gill and Yadav at least gave the Manuka Oval crowd some entertainment when they smashed 54 runs in 4.4 overs before the rain swept over the Australian capital again.
The Indian skipper finding his form after a below-par Asia Cup campaign was also the takeaway for the Men in Blue. "SKY", who has had a strike-rate of less than 110 and managed only 100 runs in 2025, showed why he was once world's No. 1-ranked T20 batter before the rain arrived to ruin the game. India, who are favourites to retain the T20 World Cup on home soil early next year, were looking to maintain the momentum after a consolation win in the final match of the one-day international series on Saturday.
The tourists earlier suffered another injury blow when all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy was ruled out of the first three T20Is after suffering from neck spasms as he recovered from a quadriceps injury sustained in the ODI series.