Team India will take on Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday. However, experts have taken an exception to India staying in Dubai for the entire duration of the ICC showpiece, saying the move allowed them better chance to acclimatise to the conditions than other teams in the tournament. However, ahead of the final, it was revealed that the semi-final between India and Australia will be played on a fresh track to even the playing conditions a little bit.
For the unversed, India were asked to play on three different pitches during their three group games.
Sharing his views on the pitch ahead of the match, former India batter Aakash Chopra has advised India captain Rohit Sharma to bat first if he wins the toss.
“A fresh pitch for #IndvAus semifinal. We Shall find out the real meaning of ‘The more we change, the more we remain the same’. Whole square at the Dubai International Stadium is bone-dry and bereft of grass. Going a little bit of left or right won’t make any difference. Mast hoke so jao. Just wish for Rohit to win the toss-and bat first. That will be Game. Set. Match,” Chopra posted on X.
A fresh pitch for #IndvAus semifinal. We
Shall find out the real meaning of ‘The more we change, the more we remain the same’ 🤪😍Whole square at the Dubai International Stadium is bone-dry and bereft of grass. Going a little bit of left or right won’t make any difference. Mast…
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 3, 2025
On the eve of the match, Rohit insisted that Dubai is not their “home venue” and the pitches here have thrown up “different challenges” to his side.
“Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. The three matches that we played here, the pitch has behaved differently. This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don’t play so many matches here, and this is new for us too,” Rohit said during the pre-match press meet ahead of the semifinal against Australia.
“There are four or five surfaces that are being used here. See, I don’t know which pitch is going to be played in the semifinals. But whatever happens, we will have to adapt and see what is happening and what is not. And we will play on that,” he added.
