According to Sunil Gavaskar, India will enter the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final in Dubai as the clear favorite versus Australia. India's decisive victory over New Zealand on Sunday, February 2, made it three out of three in Dubai. India ultimately prevailed by 44 runs thanks to the spin attack, which was spearheaded by Varun Chakravarthy. Gavaskar believes that India will have an advantage over the Australians on March 4 since the Dubai surface has turned out to be a spinner's dream.
Gavaskar's advice to Rohit Sharma
Following India's victory against New Zealand, Gavaskar told India Today that Australia's spin attack lacks punch and that they are losing out on important bowling talents like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. The best course of action for India, according to Gavaskar, would be to chase in the semifinals.
"On this surface, yes, because Australia don't seem to have the kind of spinning attack, apart from the fact that they are missing out on key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Their batting is good. The batting is very aggressive. The ideal thing would be for India maybe to chase, rather than having Australia chase," said Gavaskar.
Gavaskar on the Dubai pitch
Gavaskar said he did not think the track used in Dubai on Sunday was a tough pitch. In the last Group A encounter in Dubai, the cricket great claimed that India's bowlers made it appear impossible for New Zealand to chase down the target.
"Not at all. Well, if you had a look at our spinners in the first few overs, they did not get much help. Later on, as the pitch got a little bit better after the rolling, after the dew had settled in, there was a little more grip for the spinners, but it wasn't an impossible pitch. There was a bit of turn. It's just that the bowlers did so well that it was impossible for New Zealanders," said Gavaskar.
There are chance that Rohit Sharma might play the same Indian line-up in the massive semi-final clash against Australia in Dubai, on March 4.
