Champions Trophy: Spin to be India’s calling card in cracker of a semi-final

Conditions give Rohit’s men the edge against Australia but they’ll need to battle their inner demons as well

Captains' call: Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith (photo: Getty Images)
Captains' call: Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith (photo: Getty Images)
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Gautam Bhattacharyya

India vs Australia – it does not get any bigger than this as far as a knockout match in ICC tournament goes. More so, in the light of the India-Pakistan games failing to justify their pre-match hype in recent times with a series of one-sided matches.

The theme to the build-up for the Champions Trophy semi-finals in Dubai on Tuesday could well be revenge, in light of the heartbreak for Indian fans in the 50-overs World Cup final in 2023. However, it’s another day, another game and India look to be cashing in on familiar conditions well with a particular template after having camped and played in a single venue in Dubai for over two weeks.

The question is: does the familiarity factor give Rohit Sharma & Co the edge in what is being billed as the virtual final? It’s after all a below-strength Australia team with the Big Three of Starc-Simmons-Hazlewood missing from the attack, only one frontline spinner Adam Zampa whose record against India is not very flattering and Aussies are historically not comfortable on slow and low surfaces. However, the yellow shirts are known to be a different beast when it comes to the knockout stages and this is where the Men in Blue will have to be ensure that they don’t lose it in the mind.

A few days earlier, former Australia skipper Michael Clarke confided during a virtual interaction that the key factor behind their enviable record in ICC tournaments is that they are not afraid to take the fight to the rival camp as they are not scared of defeats. A X-factor, which India could do well to take a leaf out of the Australians’ book rather than be bogged down by the baggage of history against Steve Smith & Co.

The all-win Indian campaign in Dubai bears an uncanny similarity with the one in the 2023 World Cup, albeit with a major difference in their bowling attack. If it were the likes of Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah wreaking havoc on their rivals last time, they have gone with a spin assault in mind and so far – it has paid them rich dividends. Just ponder this: this is the first time they have gone in with a four-member spin attack in white ball cricket and they accounted for nine of the Kiwi wickets, a team which has some very competent players offspin.

 No prizes for guessing, India will again go for the Jadeja-Axar-Kuldeep-Varun combination – while reports are that the Aussies have started to brace for the battle ahead straight after landing in Dubai from Pakistan. During an intensive training session at the ICC Academy grounds on Sunday, they had summoned as many as seven spinners – of all variety – to get their act together. Harshit Seth, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner who plays for the UAE, two left-arm wrist spinners and off spinners each and a leg spinner were a part of the session against the likes of Travis Head & Co.


The threat of spin playing on their minds shows further as a mid-tournament replacement for injured opener Matthew Short, Australia have inducted 21-year-old spinning allrounder Colin Connolly. The new-look pace attack may not be a patch on the three decorated names, but the tall left-arm quick Spencer Johnson is capable of creating that angles which creates all kinds of problems for Rohit.

 The failure of Indian top three (the outstanding Glenn Phillips catch to dismiss Virat Kohli is still being discussed with a sense of awe) against the Kiwis tested Shreyas Iyer again – and he has proved to be an invaluable No.4 in this tournament. He had shown this unique ability to pace his innings well and the rigour that the middle order had to go through to reach a respectable total should stand them in good stead tomorrow and may be, the final.

 We will know who has the last laugh on Tuesday!  

 Catch the match

 First semi-final

 India vs Australia

 Dubai International Stadium

 1 pm UAE (2.30 pm IST)   

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