Star spinner Kuldeep Yadav has revealed that India preferred to face Australia in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy rather than in the final, reflecting on India’s recent struggles against Australia in ICC tournament finals, including the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship.
India clashed with Australia in the semifinals of the Champions Trophy, where they emerged victorious by four wickets, knocking out Australia from the tournament.
Recalling India’s mindset before the crucial semifinal, Kuldeep shared that the team was relieved to encounter Australia before the final. “I had hernia surgery in November, so it was difficult to come back and find the same rhythm. I believe that it was a good tournament for us. We wanted to face Australia in the semi-final; we didn’t want to play them in the final,” Kuldeep told Michael Clarke on the Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast.
“It’s a different pressure. Much better to play them in the semifinal rather than in the finals,” he added. India eventually went on to defeat New Zealand in the final in Dubai, securing the prestigious trophy for a record third time.
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India had endured a challenging five months in international cricket leading up to the Champions Trophy. Despite their efforts, they failed to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and missed out on a spot in the WTC Final. “We lost the series against Australia and there was a lot of media attention and the BCCI got strict as well. You have to be on your toes every series, and that’s how it works here in India,” Kuldeep remarked.
“You can’t take your place in the team for granted, because there are so many players coming up,” he added. Following the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI emphasized stricter protocols, noting that players needed prior approval from the head coach or selector for travel to and from games and training sessions.
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