India's experiment in Hobart: Jitesh-Arshdeep meet expectations; X-factor selection stars; Samson unlucky

When India’s teamsheet came out before the third T20I in Hobart, there were more than a few raised eyebrows. India have an enviable record in the format in recent times, and it’s rare to see wholesale changes after just one loss. But on the heels of the four-wicket loss in Melbourne, that’s what happened when India crossed the Bass Strait to Tasmania. Out went Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav and Harshit Rana, with Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar and Arshdeep Singh taking their places.

And all three made a mark as India romped to a five-wicket win with nine balls to spare. Washington was the surprise secret weapon, coming in at No. 6 and smashing an unbeaten 49 off 23 balls, inclusive of three fours and four sixes. Jitesh helped him add 43 in just 25 balls as India made light of a stiff target and the failure of the top four to kick on and make big scores.

There was bemusement when Washington didn’t bowl a single ball in Australia’s innings, especially since Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma, who combined for the fifth bowler’s quota, were thrashed for 56 run in four overs. Perhaps Suryakumar Yadav and the team management feared matching him up against the blistering right-hand power of Tim David on a ground with short square boundaries.

As it was, David clubbed five huge sixes – including a 129m whopper on to the stadium roof – in a 38-ball 74, and India were indebted to Arshdeep for his interventions – both with the new ball and at the death. He accounted for the dangerous duo of Travis Head and Josh Inglis in his opening spell and returned to have Marcus Stoinis caught at wide long-on.