Facing old enemy Australia in the first semifinal of the contest in Dubai today brings India a step nearer to reaching the final of the 2025 Champions Trophy. India captained by Rohit Sharma have been in outstanding form, having won three of three games to advance to the knockout rounds. After soundly beating Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand, the previous champions now face a strong Australia side.
Though they are lacking a number of starting players, Australia have been stellar. Their one match not ruined by rain saw the world champions defeat England in a record chase; the other two were called off.
If India captain Rohit should eventually win a toss, batting great Sunil Gavaskar has some direction: chase.
“Otherwise, Australia are lacking key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc; apart from the fact that they do not appear to have the kind of spinning attack, yes (chase).” They bat well. The batting is furious. Gavaskar told India Today, ideally maybe India would chase rather than having Australia chase.
India’s chasing victories in Dubai number two.
Given the performance of India’s tweakers, their call to stock their team with spinners has turned out to be brilliant. Defending 250 in their third and last Group A game, Indian bowlers stifled New Zealand batsmen and finally secured a 44-run victory on the back of legspinner Varun Chakaravarthy’s first five-wicket haul in ODIs.
Gavaskar also thinks the pitch wasn’t as challenging against New Zealand. Indian bowlers presented it to be so.
Certainly not! If you looked at our first few overs spinners,well they would not receive much assistance. Later, as the pitch improved slightly after rolling and settled after the dew had settled in, there was a little more grip for the spinners, but it wasn’t an impossible pitch. There was little turn. The New Zealanders could not—the bowlers really shone only there, Gavaskar remarked.
The semifinal in Dubai will take place on a brand new field; India will probably field the same starting XI that played against New Zealand last Sunday.
