India look to crack Australia code

Dubai: This is quite the irresistible force against the immovable object, though who is what is open to debate. Are India the irresistible force, unconquered and imperious? Are Australia the immovable object, effortlessly overcoming the loss of several influential personnel, including their inspirational captain, and still finding a way into the knockout stage of another global competition? Or is it the other way round?

We will find out, won’t we, as we always do.

A celebrated rivalry will script a fresh, exciting chapter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, in the first semifinal of the Champions Trophy. In one of those strange-but-true facts, both these protagonists, as well as South Africa -- who meet New Zealand in the second semifinal in Lahore on Wednesday-- are unbeaten in the tournament, thanks to the vagaries of nature.

India have been a gathering force in the Champions Trophy, though they have had to compromise on the brand of play that has become their calling card in recent times. Turners of varying ilk have necessitated them to swap bravado for sapience. Their muscular middle order has battled a natural instinct and carefully built innings instead of blasting off from ball one, a development that Australia’s batters would have taken note of.

Australia are coming off batting beauties in Pakistan – they hunted down England’s 351 in their opener with some degree of comfort – and will have to quickly adjust to the entirely different demands that the DICS track will place on them. There is enough experience and skill in the batting department, under stand-in skipper Steve Smith, to make the necessary changes to mindset and attitude, but there is also enough ability and class in the Indian spin attack to ask questions that the Australians haven’t hitherto been asked.

The last time the sides locked horns in a knockout game was at the 50-over World Cup final in Ahmedabad in November 2023. Under Pat Cummins, Australia surged to an unpopular (from the home fans’ perspective) victory by ripping the form book to shreds. It’s unlikely that the passage of time would have erased the mental scars Rohit Sharma and his side carry, but while they will use the six-wicket loss as an added incentive to get their own back, they don’t really need any artificial spurs at this stage of any competition, do they?

Cummins is one of several first-choice names missing from the Australian party. Joining the skipper on the sidelines are his pace comrades Mitchell Starc (personal reasons) and Josh Hazlewood, as well as all-rounders Mitchell Marsh (both injured) and Marcus Stoinis, who retired abruptly from ODIs last month. It’s a testament to the vibrancy of Australia’s cricketing structures that they have recovered splendidly from the loss of these near-irreplaceables and find themselves in a position to make a play for their first Champions Trophy title since 2009.

The unavailability of opener Matthew Short has left them with a tricky selection call. Do they bring back Jake Fraser-McGurk, yet to crack the ODI code, to partner Travis Head, the irrepressible left-hander with a special liking for the Indian bowling? Or do they push Josh Inglis up the order and deny themselves a fabulous middle-overs negotiator of the turning ball?

Alongside Head and Smith, spinners Adam Zampa and Glenn Maxwell will have to step up to the plate for Australia to restore the balance to an even keel. New Zealand’s spin trio of Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell and Rachin Ravindra tested, but could not best, the Indian batting. Australia will hope for better returns from their tweakers than their trans-Tasman neighbours.

Rohit admitted to a happy headache, whatever that means, after the heroics of Varun Chakravarthy against the Kiwis. Four full-time spinners in an ODI XI might look a bit much, but who is to question that after the events of Sunday night?