From the series’ perspective, India did well to prevail in the eight-overs-aside sprint against Australia and restore parity, thus setting up what could be a perfect finale in the third T20I at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Skipper Rohit Sharma found some form at a crucial phase, while Axar Patel proved his utility once again with his disciplined, wicket-to-wicket left-arm spin. For sure Rohit and Axar were the architects of India’s series-levelling win in the rain-curtailed penultimate T20I in Nagpur on Friday.

But barring the performances of the duo, the concerns still remain in the Indian camp and they are mostly related to their bowling.

The misfiring Bhuvneshwar Kumar was dropped from the XI for Friday’s game. Did that address India’s worries? No.

Axar’s figures aside, the rest of the bowling attack got clobbered for 77 in six overs off the 90 runs that India conceded in eight overs in Nagpur.

Jasprit Bumrah, in his comeback game after two months, did try to put in a decent effort despite accounting for the key wicket of rival captain Aaron Finch. But Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshal Patel continue to disappoint, particularly the latter.

Finishing with 0/49 off his four overs in the series opener, Harshal conceded 32 off the two he got to bowl in the previous game, getting clobbered for three sixes by Matthew Wade in the final over of Australia’s innings.

That certainly doesn’t augur well for the team leading up to the T20 World Cup in Australia.

Agreed that game was only the second appearance for Harshal since his return from injury. But with the World Cup set to begin in less than a month’s time, Harshal and the other struggling bowlers need to make optimum use of whatever game time they get.

Besides, India also need to decide on their ideal team combination — whether they would go in with the same combination as that of Friday, which is including both Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant in the XI along with four specialist bowlers and all-rounder Hardik Pandya, or bring in another extra bowler in place of Pant or Karthik. But in that case, who would that extra bowler be?

Both Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar are yet to get a game in this series. The inclusion of either of the two would be a fair call.

The conditions in Hyderabad may assist the bowlers, though there’s a possibility of rain in the evening.