Australia’s captain Steve Smith on Tuesday admitted that India’s familiarity with conditions in Dubai could give them an edge in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final but remained confident in his team’s ability to counter the threat.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Smith refrained from making any bold statements about ‘silencing’ the Indian crowd but emphasized that his side was focused on executing their plans effectively.
"Yeah, I don't really have a message to be honest. Just going out and playing, and hopefully, we can put on a good show," Smith said when asked about the challenge of playing against a home-favored crowd.
India, led by Rohit Sharma, come into the fixture on the back of an unbeaten run, having registered dominant wins over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Their latest victory, a 44-run triumph over New Zealand, saw their spinners dismantle the opposition.
Acknowledging India's advantage of playing all their group-stage matches in Dubai, Smith admitted that the surface could play a crucial role.
"Maybe, I'm not sure. India have played all their games here, so they've seen what the surface is doing. The whole square block is pretty dry, and having spoken to the groundsman just now, it's a dry surface with a lot of traffic," Smith observed.
The Australian captain noted that tackling India’s spin attack, particularly in the middle overs, would be critical for his side.
"Not just (Varun) Chakravarthy, the rest of their spinners are quality as well. For us, the game is probably won and lost on how we play their spin, particularly in the middle overs. We've got to counter that," he said.
Australia's campaign so far has been inconsistent. After a commanding win over England, their next two matches were abandoned due to rain, leaving them second in Group B. Despite this, Smith backed his players, particularly opener Travis Head, to deliver in a high-pressure situation.
"There's pressure every time you play in a big game. But as we know, Travis has stood up in many of those in the past. He looked in great touch the other night against Afghanistan. Hopefully, he can get away in that power play and get results from that," Smith remarked.
With the conditions expected to assist spinners, Australia will have to devise a strategy to counter India’s bowling attack, which has been their biggest strength in the tournament so far.
The semi-final clash is set to take place at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday, with the winner securing a spot in the final.
