March 3, Dubai Having observed the conditions in their 44-run victory over New Zealand, former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that the Rohit Sharma-led team should start an unchanged playing eleven in their crucial semi-final match against Australia in Dubai.

India defeated New Zealand by 44 runs in the last Group A match of the 2025 Champions Trophy at the Dubai International Stadium, setting up a semi-final matchup with Australia on Tuesday. India will play Australia in their first ICC 50-over elimination match after the 2023 ODI World Cup final, which Rohit & Co. defeated in Ahmedabad, on Tuesday.

Given that the turnaround period is less than 48 hours, I believe I would choose the same eleven today. In an ICC video shared on Instagram, Shastri said, “The square is a little tired right now; people have run on the pitch that will be used the day after, so the spinners will come into play again.”

Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja were the four spinners that India used against New Zealand on Sunday’s sluggish Dubai surface. Chakaravarthy was the most impressive bowler of the four, taking 5-42 in his 10 overs, making him the greatest bowler in the current eight-team competition. Together, the four got nine wickets.

Additionally, Shastri praised India for releasing Chakaravarthy at the ideal moment throughout the tournament. “If you look at his current form—which I always think is important—and his body language, confidence, and ability, as well as the opposition teams like South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand that are still in this tournament, not many teams have seen or played too much of him.”

He is someone who will bring you wickets in the middle overs, so I’m very pleased with him. Kudos to the team management and think tank for making the correct decision. Now is the moment to let him loose. They added him to the team; he has taken five wickets and, in my opinion, is here to stay.

Shastri also said that hitting first in Dubai and reaching a score of between 240–250 would be difficult in Tuesday’s semi-final match. “So, in a big game like a semi-final, it’s going to be very competitive if you bat first and put anything over 240-250,” he said.