Nitish Reddy Ruled Out, India Name Balanced XI

All‑rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the first three T20Is of India’s five‑match series against Australia after neck spasms slowed his recovery from a left quadriceps strain sustained in the second ODI; the BCCI medical team is monitoring him and there is no fixed timeline for his return. Reddy had already missed the third ODI after the quad strain, raising India’s fitness concerns ahead of the T20s. India named a balanced XI for the Canberra opener, selecting two frontline pacers — Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana — three spinners and Shivam Dube as a pace option, with Arshdeep Singh again overlooked. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav said Reddy had done light running and net work but cautioned there was uncertainty over his availability. Australia won the toss at Manuka Oval and elected to bowl as the series opener got underway.