Kuldeep Yadav, the star spinner, shared that India actually preferred to play Australia in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy instead of the finals. He mentioned India’s tough history against Australia in the finals of ICC tournaments, like the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship.
In the semifinals, India beat Australia by four wickets, knocking them out of the tournament. Kuldeep said it felt good to avoid facing them in the finals, especially with some old disappointments still fresh in everyone’s minds.
“I had hernia surgery in November, so getting back to my rhythm was tough. But I think we did well in the tournament. We wanted Australia in the semifinals, not the finals,” Kuldeep said on the Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast with Michael Clarke. “There’s a different kind of pressure in the finals. It’s much easier to play them in the semis,” he added.
India eventually claimed the Champions Trophy by defeating New Zealand in the final in Dubai, marking their third time winning it. Prior to the tournament, the team faced a tough five months of international cricket. They had to pull off a big performance in Australia to keep their hopes alive for the WTC Final, but sadly, that didn’t happen.
“We lost the series against Australia, and it got a lot of media attention. The BCCI was strict too. You need to stay sharp in every series here in India,” Kuldeep noted. He also mentioned the competitiveness for spots on the team, saying you can’t take your position for granted with so many upcoming players ready to take your place.
They talked about some issues in a meeting after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, mainly players not following protocols, which affected the team’s vibe. From now on, the BCCI said players need approval from the head coach or head selector to travel solo to games and training.
