Rohit reveals India's selection dilemma ahead of Champions Trophy semi-final

India probably wasn’t expecting their right-arm leg-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy to be that productive against New Zealand.

While already 33 years old, he was playing in just his second ODI and stunningly produced a maiden five-wicket-haul, taking 5/42 off 10 overs.

Chakaravarthy came into the team for Harshit Rana, as the only change from the side that beat Pakistan, giving India yet another slow bowling option on a Dubai pitch that’s been fruitful for spinners throughout the tournament.

And he’ll now be very hard to leave out of India’s XI for their knockout semi-final against Australia, at the same venue.

“We just wanted to try and see what (Chakaravarthy) can offer,” Rohit said post-game.

“He’s got something different about him, there’s no doubt about it. Varun was class today. If he gets it right, it’s very difficult to read him.

“We’ve got to think about what we want to do in the next game (against Australia), obviously (the selection dilemma) is a good headache to have.”

New Zealander Matt Henry echoed Rohit’s sentiments on Chakaravarthy, crediting the variation that the Black Caps batters were made to try and deal with.

“He bowled beautifully, didn't he?” Henry said after their loss to India.

“I think he showed his skill tonight, the way he turned the ball both ways, and even the way that he could bowl pace. I thought he was brilliant, and yeah, that they were able to put us under pressure right throughout.”

Of the 45.3 overs that India bowled, 37 of them were spin bowling. The Champions Trophy contender based in Dubai has well and truly leaned into slow bowling, as they refine their strategy on the UAE ground – a reality Australia will no doubt be expecting in their semi-final showdown.

Henry added that India played like the team better adjusted to the Dubai conditions, having played all their group games there.

“The way to have four front line spinners was a really effective way to play tonight,” he said.

“(India) having that luxury of knowing … they played to the conditions beautifully. We knew that coming here, they were going to play the four front line spinners … and yeah, obviously tonight they bowled beautiful. They read the situation and read the conditions well.”

India will enter the next stage of the tournament not just familiar with the Dubai conditions, but confident as well, having claimed all three group stage contests.

“It was very important for us to finish this game on a high,” Rohit continued.

“(New Zealand) have been playing really good cricket in the recent past, so it was very important for us to get that result. I thought the total that we got was good enough. We’ve got quality in our bowling that can defend (that kind of) total, we had that confidence. The bowlers really stepped up and got the job done.”

The challenge is now very much on Australia, not only to execute in a knockout game, but to get their tactics and plans in order.

There will be no complacency from India, coming up against an Aussie side that specialises in stepping up in huge tournament games.

“Australia, as we know, has a rich history (in) ICC tournaments … we do understand that,” Rohit added.

“It’s about us, what we want to do against (that) opposition and try and do that right. We’ll just have to be focused on what we need to do on that particular day. It’s going to be a great contest.”