India’s chase in the high-stakes Champions Trophy semi-final against Australia suffered an early blow when skipper Rohit Sharma was trapped LBW by Cooper Connolly at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The dismissal not only cost India a crucial wicket but also resulted in the team wasting a valuable DRS review, a decision that could prove costly later in the innings.
At the time of writing, India stands at 55/2 after 10 overs, with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer working to stabilize the innings after the early dismissals of Rohit and Shubman Gill. The team still requires 210 more runs to chase down Australia’s target of 265, but with one DRS call already lost, every decision moving forward will carry extra weight.
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The turning point came in the seventh over when Connolly bowled a full-length delivery that angled back onto the middle stump. Rohit attempted a sweep but missed, and the ball struck him low on the front pad. The Australian players immediately went up in a confident appeal, and the umpire wasted no time in raising his finger. Rohit, unsure of the decision, had a quick discussion with Virat Kohli before reluctantly opting for the review.
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However, the technology confirmed India’s worst fears—UltraEdge showed no bat involvement, and ball tracking returned three reds, sealing Rohit’s fate. He had to walk back for 28 off 29 balls, leaving India not just a batsman short but also down to a single remaining review for the rest of the innings.
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Rohit’s dismissal followed the earlier setback of Shubman Gill, who was clean-bowled by Ben Dwarshuis for just 8 runs. With both openers gone and Australia’s bowlers maintaining disciplined lines, India now faces an uphill battle in their pursuit of a spot in the final.
