Australia’s captain, Steve Smith, expressed his disappointment after their defeat to India in the Champions Trophy semi-final held in Dubai. He believes that scoring 300 runs could have significantly altered the game’s outcome. Smith pointed out that consistent loss of wickets at critical junctures hindered their progress on a worn-out Dubai pitch.
Smith admitted that winning the toss was advantageous. He felt they had opportunities to score above 300 but losing wickets at regular intervals was detrimental. He explained, “If we had managed to extend just one or two partnerships, we could have aimed for a score around 290-300, which would have put considerable pressure on the opposition.”
He noted the challenging batting conditions due to the pitch fatigue from frequent matches. This likely contributed to the tournament not seeing a score exceeding 300 in Dubai. Smith acknowledged their reasonable effort but reiterated that a couple of extended partnerships were needed to reach a more imposing total near or above 300.
Smith emphasized that a score around 300 would have been highly competitive on that pitch. He reasoned that chasing a larger total would force the opposition to take more risks early on. In contrast, with their score of 264, India could afford to play cautiously and extend the chase. He concluded, “300 would have been ideal, but unfortunately, we couldn’t achieve that.”
Australia’s innings began positively with Travis Head’s solid start. However, Varun Chakravarthy’s introduction led to Head’s dismissal. Smith and Labuschagne then built a 56-run partnership, but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, preventing Australia from gaining momentum. Smith’s dismissal at 73, bowled by a Mohammed Shami full toss, and Alex Carey’s run-out after scoring 61 off 57 balls, were pivotal moments.
Smith described his dismissal as “not ideal,” admitting he missed the full toss. He explained his strategy was to pressure the seam bowlers and rotate against spin, but he couldn’t execute it effectively. He lamented losing his wicket at a crucial moment, stating that had he batted longer, they could have approached the 300-run mark. He also acknowledged Alex Carey’s strong performance and expressed disappointment at the timing of his own dismissal, recognizing it as part of the game.
Australia also missed some fielding chances, notably dropping Virat Kohli at 51, who then went on to score 84, bringing India closer to victory. KL Rahul (42* off 34) and Hardik Pandya (28 off 24) also contributed quick runs, enabling India to successfully chase the target in 48.1 overs.
Smith conceded that dropped catches become critical when defending a total of 260, especially when trying to build pressure. However, he accepted dropped catches as part of cricket, acknowledging that they are unintentional. He added that Australia still had a chance if they had taken a couple more wickets.
He noted that India maintained a controlled run rate throughout their chase. Australia managed to extend the game and apply some pressure, but ultimately, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya played exceptionally well, leading India to a comfortable victory. Smith admitted India chased the target effectively.
Despite the loss, Smith commended his relatively inexperienced bowling attack for their performance in the tournament. He believes that participating in a major event like the Champions Trophy and competing against a strong team like India will be valuable learning experiences for them.
Smith highlighted Australia’s strong record in major ICC events and praised his team’s effort. He acknowledged the inexperience in their team, particularly in the bowling department, but was impressed by the new bowlers’ performance. He concluded that the exposure to a significant tournament and facing world-class players would benefit them greatly, emphasizing the positives they could take from the experience.
