Australia’s captain, Steve Smith, has discussed the edge the Men in Blue possess after playing all of their group-stage matches in Dubai as they prepare to face India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final. Smith discussed the difficulty posed by India’s spin attack on a dry surface and the significance of his team’s strategy while facing the slow bowlers.
The team captained by Rohit Sharma comes into this match on a six-match winning streak in One-Day Internationals. In the Champions Trophy, they have won convincingly over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand after thrashing England 3-0 at home. In their most recent effort, they used four spinners to break through the Kiwi’s batting lineup and win by 44 runs.
Australia, meanwhile, placed second in Group B. They had a fantastic chase against England to start the season. But they were washouts in their next two games. Smith discussed how India has an advantage because they are accustomed to the circumstances in Dubai before to the semi-final.
India clearly participated in every game that was played here. They have therefore witnessed the pitch’s effectiveness. I’m not sure if that’s a benefit. The entire square block is obviously quite dry. Therefore, we’ve observed the way the wickets are played,” Smith stated during the press conference prior to the game.
Travis has previously stood up in a number of those: Steve Smith
Additionally, Steve Smith noted that spin bowling is favored in Dubai’s dry climate, which plays to India’s advantages. The right-handed hitter emphasized that Australia’s chances would improve if they played spin well.
“I believe that the rest of their spin has quality as well, not only Varun Chakravarthy. Therefore, I believe that how we play their spin is probably the game for us. Indeed, it will be difficult. Yes, we need to address that, and I believe there will be some spin. Tomorrow, we’ll see how we manage it. We can approach it in a few different ways,” he continued.
Smith encouraged his players, particularly starter Travis Head, to perform well in spite of the pressure of a knockout match. Head scored a ton of runs in the 2023 WTC and ODI World Cup finals against India, making the difference both times.
“Every time you participate in a major game, there is pressure. However, Travis has previously stood up in a number of those, as is well known. He looked so good against Afghanistan the other night, you know. He will undoubtedly want to come out here and play with the same aggression and good intent that he has displayed for a long time. “I hope he can get away with that power play and use it to his advantage,” Smith said.
India
