The former India National Cricket Team head coach, Ravi Shastri, has picked the playing XI of Rohit Sharma & Co. for the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Rohit Sharma's men will take on Steve Smith's Australia National Cricket Team in the semi-final on March 4 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
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India decimated New Zealand with their spin on Sunday
In the last group stage match of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, India unleashed a 4-man spin attack and dismantled the strong New Zealand team on Sunday, March 2, in Dubai.
India played three spinners - Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav - in the first two matches before adding Varun Chakravarthy to the playing XI for the third game.
Chakravarthy, playing his first-ever Champions Trophy match, looked absolutely threatening, and he picked up a 5-wicket haul. A total of 37.3 overs were bowled by the Indian spinners in the match and all of them were among wickets.
Talking about the match, India ended up with a score of 249/9 while batting first and then bowled out the Black Caps for 205 in 43 overs, to register a 44-run victory and finish up the group stage unbeaten.
Ravi Shastri picks India's playing XI for Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia
With a turnaround of less than 48 hours for the semi-final match, Ravi Shastri feels that India should stick with the same team that they fielded against New Zealand as the players have gotten used to the conditions.
According to Ravi Shastri, spinners will come into play in the semi-final and the team batting second will find it hard to chase 240-250 runs.
"The square is a little tired at the moment, people have run on the pitch that is going to be used the day after, so the spinners will again come into play,” Ravi Shastri said as quoted by ICC.
“So if you bat first, put anything over 240-250, it’s going to be very competitive in a big game like a semi-final,” Shastri said.
Ravi Shastri's India Playing XI for semi-final vs Australia: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
Sachin Tendulkar hails Shreyas Iyer and Varun Chakravarthy
After the India vs New Zealand match, the legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar took to X to praise Shreyas Iyer for his match-winning fifty and Varun Chakravarthy for his Player of the Match-winning spell.
"@ShreyasIyer15 played an important innings, and @chakaravarthy29's spell made sure India stayed ahead. A good team win!," Sachin Tendulkar wrote on X.
.@ShreyasIyer15 played an important innings, and @chakaravarthy29's spell made sure India stayed ahead.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 2, 2025
A good team win! 🇮🇳
Former opener Wasim Jaffer was also mighty impressed with Varun Chakravarthy and Shreyas Iyer following their heroics against the Kiwis.
"Great effort from Team India vs a strong NZ team that tested them in all aspects of the game. Crucial partnership between Iyer and Axar that rescued Ind from 30/3, and what a call to play Chakravarthy and him repaying faith with fifer 👏🏻👏🏻 #INDvNZ #ChampionsTrophy2025," Wasim Jaffer wrote on X.
Great effort from Team India vs a strong NZ team that tested them in all aspects of the game. Crucial partnership between Iyer and Axar that rescued Ind from 30/3, and what a call to play Chakravarthy and him repaying faith with fifer 👏🏻👏🏻 #INDvNZ #ChampionsTrophy2025 pic.twitter.com/FRMziQCB1M
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) March 2, 2025
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