Queensland

Spinner Matthew Kuhnemann hopes Australia will curb the fireworks from India's "serious talent" Abhishek Sharma in the upcoming fourth T20I at the Bill Pippen Oval, Gold Coast, on Thursday (November 6).

Abhishek has been India's driving force with the bat in Australia's seaming conditions across the three T20Is. The series opener for the five-match affair was washed out in Canberra, and Australia raced to a 1-0 lead with a four-wicket win in the second fixture.

Even though the opener was washed out, Abhishek got a chance to flaunt his boundary-hitting muscle and reeled in four boundaries before being dismissed on 19(14) by Nathan Ellis. In the second contest, while the rest of his compatriots crumbled against Australia's blistering pace attack, Abhishek stood tall and went all guns blazing to finish with a 37-ball 68.

Despite his valiant display, his efforts remained insufficient to salvage a win for his side. During India's pursuit of an imposing 187-run target in the third game, the 25-year-old took the onus of providing an authoritative start to the tourists. He walloped two towering maximums and as many fours to finish with 25 in 16 deliveries as India gunned down the target to level the series with a five-wicket win and nine balls to spare.

Kuhnemann acknowledged Abhishek's significant impact and hopes Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis can remove him cheaply in the initial overs with premier quick Josh Hazlewood out of the series to prepare for the Ashes.

"Yeah, it's crucial. It's such a big game now. In T20 cricket, you talk about momentum. We're trying to wrestle that back from India at the moment and hopefully win the next two games. Hopefully, it's Xavier Bartlett or one of the quicks, Benny Dwarshuis, who can take his wicket in the first couple of overs. He's (Abhishek) a serious talent, and he just goes so hard from ball one. It's going to be a great spectacle on Thursday, but hopefully those boys can get him cheaply," Kuhnemann said while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

According to Kuhnemann, with India and Australia adopting a similar brand of cricket, the fate of the fixture could be decided by the team that scythes wickets of the opposition's middle order more swiftly. He cited Tim David's example, who possesses the ability to go ballistic at will.

Yeah, I think the way they're playing is sort of similar to how we're playing as well. They're very explosive, I think, from ball one now. The game's changing rapidly, and you can sort of tell the players a lot. Players like how Timmy David went about it and just go hard from ball one, like I said. Yeah, I think taking wickets is crucial for both teams in the middle order," Kuhnemann added.

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In the last two fixtures, Australia will miss the presence of opening swashbuckler Travis Head. The 31-year-old has left the squad to fine-tune his preparations for the Ashes by contesting in the Sheffield Shield for South Australia. On the other hand, India's premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the squad to participate in the second four-day game between India A and South Africa A.