Indian captain Rohit Sharma reiterated the importance of having six bowling options without compromising batting depth after his team secured a comfortable four-wicket victory over Australia in the Champions Trophy semi-final on Tuesday.

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Chasing a target of 265, India rode on Virat Kohli’s composed 84, along with valuable contributions from Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, to clinch the win with 11 balls to spare. The Indian bowlers had earlier restricted Australia to a modest total, with Mohammed Shami (3/38), Varun Chakravarthy, and Ravindra Jadeja (two wickets each) leading the charge.

"Having six bowling options and batting depth till No. 8 was something we prioritised while selecting the squad. Credit goes to everyone involved in putting this team together," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.

Assessing the chase, Rohit noted that India approached the target with composure and clinical execution. "At the halfway stage, we felt it was a reasonable score. We had to bat really well, and we did just that. The surface was slightly better in the second innings, and we focused on playing good cricket rather than overanalysing the pitch."

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Rohit also praised Virat Kohli for yet another successful chase. "He has done this for us so many times. His partnership with Shreyas was crucial, and Hardik’s finishing touches were equally important."

With this win, India advance to the final, where they will face the winner of the South Africa vs. New Zealand semi-final. The victory also means the final will now take place at Dubai instead of Lahore.

"As we prepare for the final, it's great to have all our players in form. We’ll take it one step at a time, and for now, I want the guys to relax and enjoy the moment," Rohit added.

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Smith reflects on Australia’s shortfall

Australian skipper Steve Smith admitted his team fell short of a competitive total by at least 20 runs. "Our bowlers did a good job, and the spinners managed to tighten things up, making the chase trickier. But the pitch wasn't easy for batting early on. We needed 280-plus to really challenge India. Losing wickets at regular intervals hurt us," Smith reflected.

(With inputs from agencies)