Champions Trophy: Indian Batters' Gear-Shifting Ability Praised by Steve Smith

Dubai, March 3 (NationPress) As the Indian top order featuring Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer heads into their semifinal showdown against Australia on Tuesday, Aussie captain Steve Smith has commended the formidable batters for their skill to shift gears.

Aside from Rohit Sharma, who scored a brisk 41 in the tournament's opener against Bangladesh, both Kohli and Gill have each notched a century, while Iyer has proven to be a dependable number 4 batter, accumulating the most runs among Indians in this edition.

“They are dangerous players. The entire Indian batting lineup possesses the ability to accelerate and decelerate their game. They are a formidable team with exceptional cricketers. For us, it’s about adapting to the conditions we face tomorrow and performing better than the opposition—simple as that,” he stated.

In their last two major knockout encounters, India faced Australia, with Australia triumphing in both the 2023 World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final. As India opted for a spin-heavy squad tailored for the slow conditions in Dubai, questions arose regarding whether they had included one too many spinners.

However, the match on Sunday validated their selection, with the last-minute decision to introduce Varun Chakravarthy potentially being a game-changer for India.

Smith believes the Indian spin quartet has kept their opponents under pressure throughout the tournament and looks forward to the challenge ahead.

“It’s not just Chakravarthy; the other spinners are also of high quality. The game will likely hinge on how we handle this spin, especially during the middle overs. It’s going to be a challenge; the pitch seems to promise some spin, and we have to adapt accordingly. We have several strategies to implement, so we’ll see how it unfolds tomorrow,” he added.

There has been considerable discussion regarding India having an undue advantage over other teams, as they played all their matches, including a potential final, at the same venue, the Dubai International Circuit. However, the Australian batter does not perceive it as a significant advantage.

“In terms of an advantage, maybe, but I’m not entirely sure. India has played all their games here, gaining insights into the surface behavior. The square block is notably dry, and after consulting with the groundsman, we’ve noted that the dry surface has endured considerable traffic, revealing how the wickets have performed. India has also excelled in their matches. It’s going to be a thrilling contest, and we’re eager for it,” Smith concluded.