Steve Smith post match press conference | IND vs AUS Semi final, Champions Trophy 2025 | Virat Kohli

Steve Smith- Australia post-match press conference, 4 March '25
[Reporter:]

You won the toss chose to bat - the reason for that and also do you think that the partnership was on? Do you think that 300 was a possible score on this pitch?

[Steve Smith:]

Yeah, I think the toss was the right decision. I think we had our opportunities throughout to post something up above 300. We were probably just that one wicket down too many at a few stages throughout the innings. If we extended one of those partnerships a little bit we're probably getting up 290 - 300 and we're putting a bit of pressure on the scoreboard. So, it's clearly not the easiest wicket to bat on. The square block as a whole I think has seen a lot of cricket over the last couple of months. We can see it's pretty tired and that's probably the reason why we haven't seen a score above 300 in the tournament here so far so we did a reasonable job but we probably just lacked a couple of those partnerships just dragging out a little bit further to get us up somewhere near 300 or just above.

[Reporter:]

You obviously played down the significance of India playing all their group games here. But now at the end of the game, do you think it played a part at all?

[Steve Smith:]

Yeah, look, I'm not buying into it. I think it is what it is. India obviously played some really good cricket here. The surface kind of suits their style with the spinners that they've got and the seamers that they have at their disposal for a wicket like that. They played well, they outplayed us and they deserve the victory.

[Reporter:]

In the eventual calculations on finer margins, do you think the fielding of your side was not up to the mark you would have liked?

[Steve Smith:]

We dropped a couple of chances and I think when you're trying to squeeze the game and you're trying to build a lot of pressure, you need to take those chances when you've got 260 on the board. But that's the game, it happens. No one means to drop a catch. It's part of the game.

[Reporter:]

Would you also say that India planned the chase well just sustaining that five runs and over right through almost. The target was 266, still a stiff target but still they planned the chase well. Would you say that?

[Steve Smith:]

Yeah, I mean they kept their run rate in check throughout. Yeah, we were probably just one or two wickets away. It got pretty close towards the end. We were able to drag the game quite deep and try and put some pressure on that way. But yeah, obviously KL played really nicely at the end and Hardik as well. So yeah, we took it as deep as we could, but yeah, they obviously chased really nicely.

[Reporter:]

How much difference is there between the Dubai pitches and the pitches at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore – different results do you think?

[Steve Smith:]

The wickets we played on, yeah, they're completely different tracks. This one's quite slow, two-paced, took some spin. I think the Gaddafi track is arguably one of the best one-day wickets in the world for batting. The ball skids on nicely, the outfield's lightning and yeah there's definite differences there.

[Reporter:]

When Australia takes part in a semi-final, the expectations are always so high. You're always expected to win. Do you feel that when you play India, their reputation is as formidable? Could that have played a bit on the boys' mindset?

[Steve Smith:]

Not really. I mean, I think we've got pretty good records in big games in ICC events and I thought the guys turned up and did a really good job. It's obviously a bit of inexperience in our team, particularly our bowling attack. Some new guys there who I thought did a really good job as well.

[Reporter:]

Can you talk us a little bit through your dismissal and also kind of that period of the game in general, was that a big moment?

[Steve Smith:]

Yeah, missed a full toss, wasn't ideal. My plan was kind of to try and put the seamers under a bit more pressure and just rotate the spin but I didn't do it very well. I obviously lost my wicket at probably a crucial stage as well so- had I batted a little bit deeper I potentially could have got up, as we said before, near 300 or something. Alex was batting really nicely up the other end so yeah disappointing time to get out but that's the game sometimes.

[Reporter:]

You have been a long time contemporary of Virat. What do you have to say about the way he chases down the high targets and controls it? Can you say something about that?

[Steve Smith:]

Yeah, I mean he's arguably the best chaser the game has seen. He's done it numerous times against us. He controls the tempo of the game really well, plays to his strengths and takes the game deep. I thought he played really well again tonight.

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