Australia have won the toss on Tuesday and elected to bat first against India in the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai.
Australia have two changes to their team from their previous encounter with Afghanistan with bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly replacing Matt Short and leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha coming in for Spencer Johnson.
India are going in with the same team. Indian skipper Rohit Sharma said at the toss that he was prepared to do both, bowl or bat first in this match.
With an injury-ravaged Australia fielding a depleted side, India sense an opportunity to settle a score against an opponent who beat them in the finals of the World Test Championship and the 50-overs World Cup — both in 2023.
India have stuck to their position of not touring Pakistan because of the strained political relations between the Asian neighbours, who play each other only in global events.
The International Cricket Council (ICC), headed by former Indian board secretary Jay Shah, has drawn flak for allowing India to play all their matches in Dubai and receiving what many consider an unfair advantage.
While most Group A teams shuttled between two of the three venues in Pakistan and flew to Dubai for their match against India, Rohit Sharma and his men have been spared any travel hassle.
By staying put in one venue, they have gained valuable insights into the vastly different conditions in Dubai, where spinners have dominated typically low-scoring matches.
India will also be sick of the sight of their familiar nemesis Travis Head.
Head smashed match-winning hundreds against them in both the finals of the ICC events two years ago and the hard-hitting batter seems to have regained his form just in time.
In the absence of Australia’s frontline quicks, including regular skipper Pat Cummins, stop-gap captain Steve Smith will be banking on his second-string pace attack to make early dents in India’s batting lineup.
India’s four-pronged spin unit claiming nine of the 10 New Zealand wickets on Sunday while successfully defending 249-9 was a fair indication of the turn on offer in Dubai.
Varun Chakravarthy, India’s fourth spinner, claimed 5-42 in his Champions Trophy debut leaving skipper Rohit with “a good headache“.
Australia have substituted injured opener Matthew Short with spin bowling all-rounder Cooper Connolly but the onus will be on Adam Zampa to lead their spin attack.
“I don’t think I’m bowling quite at my best but I like to think the beauty about me, when I’m not quite at my best and not feeling that great out there, is my ability to still contribute and take those big wickets,” leg-spinner Zampa said.
