Champions Trophy: 'Game Will Be Won Or Lost On How We Handle Spin'

'Especially in the middle overs. That's going to be a key challenge.'

IMAGE: Steve Smith spoke with confidence at the pre-match press conference. Photograph: K R Nayar

Australian Skipper Steve Smith, who began his career as a leg-spinner before rising to become one of the world's best batters, understands what it takes to win high-pressure games.

The challenge of facing India, with its strong spin attack and formidable batting lineup, does not faze him.

When asked how it feels to play against an unbeaten Indian team in conditions familiar to his opponents, and what it would take to win the semifinal, Smith responded: "They are a good side, aren't they? I think it's just about playing our game, adapting to the conditions, and executing well for the full 100 overs. It should be a great contest -- two strong teams going head-to-head -- and I'm looking forward to it."

Smith acknowledged that the weather in Pakistan had not been ideal. "The weather hasn't been great in Pakistan, which prevented us from completing one of our games. But everyone is in good shape and ready to go. We feel like we've been playing well, so we're looking forward to the contest against India tomorrow."

Asked whether he had a message for Indian fans, especially after Australia silenced them in Ahmedabad during the 2023 World Cup final, Smith said: "I don't really have a message, to be honest. We're just going out there to play and hopefully put on a good show. As for any advantage, I'm not sure. India has played all their matches here, so they're familiar with the surface."

"The square block is quite dry, and after speaking with the groundsman, it's clear the pitch has seen a lot of traffic. We've seen how the wickets have played, and India has performed really well in these conditions. It's going to be a good contest, and we're looking forward to it."

IMAGE: Steve Smith with teammates after Nathan Ellis took Gulbadin Naib's wicket during Australia's game against Afghanistan. Photograph: Asim Tanveer/Reuters

Given his background as a leg-spinner and the spin-friendly conditions, Smith was asked if he planned to roll his arm over.

"Me bowl? I hope not! We have plenty of options, though. Tanveer Sangha is in the squad, and we have Glenn Maxwell. Matt Short, who was a bit of a loss, had been bowling well. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne can bowl a few overs, and Cooper Connolly is another option if we go down that path. We have several part-time options, along with our frontline spinners, so we'll see how we line up tomorrow."

Smith also spoke about waiting in Dubai for their semifinal opponent, unsure whether they would need to fly back to Pakistan.

"We made the right call in the end. It was ideal to stay here and have a couple of days to prepare. If we had waited for last night's result and then had to travel today, we wouldn't have had a chance to train on the surface or get used to the conditions. If we had gone back, we'd have been on the same plane as New Zealand, spent a day there, and then played -- so staying here made more sense."

IMAGE: Ben Dwarshuis celebrates taking Phil Salt's wicket during the game against England. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

Smith also mentioned the contrast between Dubai and the bubble in Pakistan.

"It was nice to have a little reset and spend a couple of days outside of the strict bubble in Pakistan, with all the security restrictions."

"It's been great to relax, do some training, and have some downtime. Some of the guys played golf and explored a bit. We're well-prepared for tomorrow and looking forward to the match."

When asked about Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who played a key role in India's win against New Zealand, Smith said: "It's not just Chakravarthy -- India has quality spinners all around. I think the game will be won or lost based on how we handle spin, especially in the middle overs. That's going to be a key challenge."

"The surface looks like it will offer some turn, so we'll have to counter that. We have a few strategies in mind, and you'll see how we approach it tomorrow."

Asked about the experience of captaining in a one-day game compared to leading in a Test match, Smith recalled taking over from Pat Cummins for the last two Tests in a previous series.

"It's been fun captaining these boys over the last couple of weeks. Our first goal was to make the semifinals, and we've achieved that. Now, we're up against a strong Indian side, and we're excited for the challenge tomorrow."

Smith also praised Shreyas Iyer and Virat Kohli. "They are dangerous players, but so is the entire Indian batting lineup. They have the ability to shift gears seamlessly. India is a strong team with quality cricketers. For us, it's about adapting to the conditions in front of us and playing better than the opposition."

In closing, Smith summed up his team's mindset: "Now that we've achieved our first objective of reaching the semifinals, we're geared up for the big game tomorrow. The boys are pumped, and hopefully, we can get another one over India."