India has not been able to outmanoeuvre Australia in knockout stages of 50-over ICC competitions since the last triumph in the 2011 World Cup quarterfinal in Ahmedabad. The Australians have ruled since then, winning crucial encounters in the 2003 final, the 2015 semifinal, and as recently as the heartbreaking 2023 final in Ahmedabad.
In the Champions Trophy, though, India has a superior record against Australia, having won the quarterfinals and semifinals of the 1998 and 2000 ICC KnockOut Trophy tournaments. With the two sides set to meet in the semifinals of this tournament in Dubai, here’s how India can reverse the script against Steve Smith’s team.
Winning the Toss: A Key Factor
India has been unfortunate lately, losing a toss in their last 13 ODIs. The last time they won a toss was in the 2023 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand. If India can break this sequence, they might get the opportunity to choose their plan of action—whether to set a target or chase. Looking at the unpicked pitch of the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, scoring a solid total may prove to be the most viable option.
Neutralizing Travis Head’s Threat
Travis Head has proven to be India’s thorn in the flesh, breaking down their bowling lineup on several occasions. His 163 in the 2023 World Test Championship final and 137 in the World Cup final demonstrated his talent for taking center stage in games of importance. Even in the T20 World Cup, he smashed a swift 76 from 43 deliveries. India needs to deny him his rhythm by limiting his space outside the off-stump. In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence, the bowlers will have to have a well-thought-out strategy to contain him.
Spin Attack to Trouble Australia’s Middle Order
India used four specialist spinners against New Zealand, a first in their ODI careers, because of spin-friendly conditions. The same plan will work against Australia too. If India substitute one spinner with Harshit Rana, they will continue to have a potent spin attack that can test Australia’s middle order featuring lethal hitters like Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell. Wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, against whom Australia has no experience, might prove to be game-changers during the middle overs.
Sharpening Fielding Efforts
India has been careless in the field, letting go of at least six catches in their first three games, two of them very important ones against Kane Williamson. Although they have so far escaped paying for these errors, they cannot risk trying out their luck against Australia. A top-class fielding side, India will need to get back their sharpness and make sure that they grab every chance that comes their way.
Leveraging Australia’s Deteriorated Bowling Attack
Australia will miss frontline pacers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc, with the latter withdrawing because of personal issues. All-rounders Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are also out of action. That leaves Australia with a comparatively inexperienced pace attack that includes Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis, and Nathan Ellis. These bowlers do have good domestic form, but India needs to capitalize on the situation to overpower them early on. But they must also accommodate the slow nature of the pitch, which resulted in Rohit Sharma’s demise against Kyle Jamieson in the previous match.
Managing the Middle Overs with the Bat
Australia’s spin pair of Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell, and a possible addition of Tanveer Sangha, may be challenging to handle in the middle overs. India’s batsmen have played quality spinners such as Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh), Abrar Ahmed (Pakistan), and New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, and Rachin Ravindra, which has provided them with rich experience. Although Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel are capable of handling spinners, India will gain if either Shubman Gill or Virat Kohli stays back to anchor the innings deep, which will give the others a chance to play more freely. In addition to this, they also need not repeat the mistake that they had done against New Zealand by allowing them to play 64 dot balls in the first 15 overs. In a turning wicket, any opportunity for runs must be cashed.
A balanced approach with clever strategy play is giving India a strong hope to turn back their past knockout losses and ensure qualification into the final.