NEW DELHI: Australia gained the toss and elected to bat first towards India within the first semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on the Dubai Worldwide Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Skipper Steve Smith backed his staff to profit from what is predicted to be a spin-friendly floor, making two modifications to the enjoying XI.
“We’ll have a bat. Appears to be like like a reasonably dry floor. The blokes had a few classes, able to go. It ought to take flip. Superb facet – India. Two modifications. Cooper Connolly is available in for Matt Brief, Tanveer Sangha is available in for Spencer Johnson,” Smith stated on the toss.
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India, alternatively, caught with the identical XI that performed towards New Zealand, choosing 4 frontline spinners. Skipper Rohit Sharma remained unfazed as India misplaced the toss for the 14 consecutive instances in ODIs.
“I used to be ready to do each. Once you’re confused, it is higher to lose the toss. The pitch retains altering its nature. You must play good cricket. We have performed good cricket in all three video games and that is what we’ll attempt to do. It will be difficult. We’re enjoying with the identical staff. We wish to proceed from the place we left. Now that we’re bowling first, we’ve to bowl nicely and limit them to as little as doable,” Rohit stated.
The pitch report by Michael Atherton and Ramiz Raja confirmed expectations of flip and help for spinners. “It isn’t too sizzling, a mild breeze blowing throughout the bottom. 77m down the bottom, sq. boundaries – 69m and 62m. The pitch appears very naked, very dry and really cracked. Nonetheless batable, win the toss and bat first. The ball will grip. Appears to be like good for the spinners.”
With Australia seeking to capitalise on batting first and India banking on their spinners, a gripping contest is on the playing cards.
India vs Australia Taking part in XIs
- India XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
- Australia XI: Cooper Connolly, Travis Head, Steven Smith (c), Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis (w), Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Tanveer Sangha
