NEW DELHI: India captain Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday hit back at critics questioning India’s Dubai-only schedule in the Champions Trophy after India’s four-wicket win over Australia in the first semi-final.
“What undue advantage? We practice at ICC Academy, where conditions are different from the stadium. Some people are perpetual cribbers; they need to grow up,” he said.
Following India’s victory, Gambhir remained focused on the ultimate goal. “We’ve had a flawless campaign, but there’s still one more game to go,” he told reporters.
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Virat Kohli once again proved why he is one of the best in ODIs, leading India’s chase with a brilliant 84 off 98 balls.
His 74th ODI fifty ensured India successfully chased down 265, finishing at 267-6 with 13 balls to spare. Kohli also became India’s highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history, surpassing Shikhar Dhawan.
“Kohli is a phenomenal ODI player, and he plans his innings exceptionally well,” Gambhir praised the Indian stalwart.
Mohammed Shami (3/48) spearheaded the attack, while Varun Chakravarthy and Ravindra Jadeja picked up two wickets each to bowl out Australia for 264 in 49.3 overs.
Despite Steve Smith’s 73 and Alex Carey’s 61, Australia struggled to capitalise on strong partnerships. Shami returned to dismiss Smith at a crucial moment, and Axar Patel removed Glenn Maxwell cheaply, derailing Australia’s momentum.
Kohli and Shreyas Iyer (48) added a crucial 91-run stand, stabilising the innings after early setbacks. Though Iyer and Axar Patel (27) fell, KL Rahul (42) and Hardik Pandya (28) finished the chase in style.
With this win, India advanced to the Champions Trophy final in Dubai, where they will face the winner of South Africa vs New Zealand.
