Dubai: November 19, 2023, marked a day of sorrow for India's vast community of cricket enthusiasts. That evening in Ahmedabad, the Australian team, led by Pat Cummins, managed to quiet over a hundred thousand Indian fans present in the stadium, along with millions more across the nation and beyond, many of whom had assumed that the ODI World Cup was destined to return home.

The Indian squad set to face Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday remains largely unchanged from the one that faltered in the World Cup final. In contrast, Australia has undergone significant changes.

Cummins is absent from Dubai, with only a large cut-out of him remaining. His withdrawal was so abrupt that there was insufficient time to remove his image from promotional materials. Steve Smith, who is captaining Australia in Cummins' stead, has refrained from making any bold statements. This may be due to his awareness of the challenging task ahead, as he leads a weakened bowling lineup against a highly regarded Indian batting order.

His makeshift bowling unit—lacking both Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood—must contend with an Indian team that possesses all the necessary skills for the slow and low pitches in this venue. India has successfully chased down targets twice and defended a total of once in Dubai. Australia has reached the semi-finals after participating in one and a half matches, securing a victory against England.

Among India's experienced spinners, it is the unpredictable Varun Chakravarthy who has captured the attention of Australian analysts following his impressive five-wicket haul against New Zealand on Sunday. Rohit Sharma remarked that the prospect of including Chakravarthy in the lineup was "very tempting," noting that he had fulfilled all expectations placed upon him.

Rohit further expressed that the idea of fielding four spinners again was equally appealing. In the match against New Zealand, Indian spinners bowled 37.3 of the 45.3 overs, with spinners delivering 29 of the 30 middle overs, making it exceedingly difficult for the batters to score boundaries.

During the 1960s and 70s, India boasted a spin quartet that was unparalleled, skillfully outsmarting batters. However, they only played one Test match together. Given the slow pitches in Dubai, the combination of Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel may not remain a singular occurrence.

If India perceives the strategy of employing only one fast bowler alongside all-rounder Hardik Pandya as a significant risk for the knockout stage, they might consider reintroducing Harshit Rana in place of Kuldeep Yadav.

Following a hard-fought victory against the Kiwis, India opted for a lighter day on Monday. Rohit, however, will be hoping for a favourable outcome in the coin toss, having lost 13 consecutive calls. Tuesday could present an opportunity to end that streak. Based on India's performances in the last three matches, the pitch seems to be providing an increasing turn.

"We observed some spin today, which was less evident in the previous game. Each surface presents different challenges," Rohit informed reporters ahead of the semifinals. "For us, it remains somewhat uncertain which pitch we will be playing on. This is not our home ground; it is Dubai, and we do not have extensive experience playing here. This is new territory for us as well."

Home advantage aside, this match carries the weight of a 'losers go home' scenario. Australia has historically excelled in such high-stakes encounters. While their bowling attack may not be top-tier, opener Travis Head remains a formidable presence, and India is acutely aware of his potential impact.

Joining him will be either the aggressive Jake Fraser-McGurk or Josh Inglis, necessitated by Matthew Short's injury. India is likely to field left-arm spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. On the Australian side, they have two left-arm pacers, Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis, who will be crucial in making early breakthroughs. In what could turn into a spin-dominated contest, Adam Zampa will lead the spin attack, supported by young Tanveer Sangha, with Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne providing part-time spin options. The way Rohit and Shubman Gill handle the left-arm pacers will be another key aspect to observe.

Smith remarked, “While we are missing some key bowlers who have been instrumental for a long time, we emphasized at the tournament's outset that we must concentrate on our current squad. We have players who have performed admirably, and this experience in a major international tournament is invaluable. They have managed the pressure well, and we hope for another strong performance tomorrow to reach the final.”

Rohit commented, “Facing a strong opponent like Australia is always a challenge. We need to maintain the mindset we've had in the last three matches and approach this game similarly. Australia has been a formidable team over the years, so we anticipate a strong response from them, along with some tense moments during the match, especially in a semi-final setting.”

Read Also: Karthik on India's Struggle: It's a Travis Head Problem, Not Australia!

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