Australian captain Steve Smith expressed his disappointment after Australia’s defeat to India in the Champions Trophy semifinal in Dubai. He felt that scoring 300 runs could have led to a different outcome. Smith pointed out that losing crucial wickets at key moments hindered their progress on a difficult pitch in Dubai. Australia had hoped to be the first team in the tournament to reach a score of 300.
Smith believes that winning the toss was the correct decision. He stated that they had opportunities to score above 300 runs but consistently lost one too many wickets at important stages of their innings. He suggested that if they had managed to extend just one or two partnerships, they could have reached 290-300 and put more pressure on India with a higher score.
Smith acknowledged that the pitch was challenging for batting, especially the square area, which had been used extensively for cricket in recent months. He noted that the tired pitch was likely the reason no team had scored above 300 in the tournament so far. He admitted they performed reasonably well but lacked those crucial extended partnerships to get closer to or above the 300-run mark.
Smith reiterated that a score around 300 would have been a very strong total on that surface. He explained that with scoreboard pressure, the chasing team would need to take more risks to maintain the required run rate. He felt that with their score of 264, India could afford to play more cautiously and take the game deeper. He concluded that while 300 would have been ideal, they were unable to achieve it.
Travis Head provided Australia with a solid start, but his dismissal after the introduction of Varun Chakravarthy was a setback. Smith and Labuschagne then formed a 56-run partnership, but Australia continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, preventing them from building momentum. Smith’s dismissal on 73, bowled by a full toss from Mohammed Shami, was a significant moment, as was Alex Carey’s run out after his quick 61 runs took the score past 250.
Smith described his dismissal to a full toss as “not ideal.” He explained that his strategy was to pressure the seam bowlers and rotate the strike against spin, but he didn’t execute it effectively. He lamented losing his wicket at a critical juncture, suggesting that if he had batted longer, they might have reached closer to 300. He acknowledged Alex Carey’s good batting at the other end and expressed disappointment at getting out at such a crucial time, recognizing the unpredictable nature of cricket.
On the fielding side, Australia missed a few catching opportunities, most notably dropping Virat Kohli when he was on 51. Kohli went on to score a vital 84, bringing India closer to victory, before being dismissed for 84 while attempting a big shot. India also benefited from rapid innings from KL Rahul (42 not out off 34 balls) and Hardik Pandya (28 off 24 balls) as they completed the run chase in 48.1 overs.
Smith conceded that dropping catches, especially when defending a total of 260, is costly when trying to build pressure. However, he acknowledged that dropped catches are part of the game and unintentional. He added that Australia still had a chance if they had taken a couple more wickets.
Smith noted that India maintained a consistent run rate throughout their innings. He reiterated that Australia was probably just one or two wickets away from turning the game around. He acknowledged that the match went deep into the innings, allowing them to apply some pressure. However, he praised KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya for their excellent batting at the end, concluding that India chased the target very well.
Smith commended his inexperienced bowling attack for their performance in the tournament. He emphasized that the experience gained from playing in a major event like the Champions Trophy against a strong team like India would be valuable for their development.
Smith highlighted Australia’s strong record in big ICC events and felt the team performed well. He recognized the inexperience in their team, particularly in the bowling department, with some new players who performed admirably. He concluded that the exposure to a major tournament and facing world-class players would be beneficial for their growth, emphasizing the positives to take away from the experience.
