Champions Trophy 2025: ‘Shami saab, bahut ho gaya Travis Head ka kaam’: Harbhajan Singh’s message to Mohammed Shami ahead of India vs Australia semifinal

Mohammed Shami (ANI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India and Australia are set for one more high-stakes ICC showdown, this time within the semi-finals of the 2025 Champions Trophy on Tuesday. In a rematch of the 2023 ODI World Cup closing, the place Australia triumphed, India will look to flip the tables.
One man who has been a thorn in India’s facet is Travis Head. From his match-winning century within the World Cup closing to his heroics within the World Test Championship decider and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the Australian left-hander has relished large moments towards India.
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Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has made it clear: Mohammed Shami should get rid of Head early to shift the momentum in India’s favour.
“Three things that Team India needs to do, which will be essential to win against Australia,” Harbhajan mentioned on Star Sports. “The first thing is to overcome the fear of Travis Head and get him out. Shami saab, bahut ho gaya Travis Head ka kaam, ab unko run nahi banane dena hai [Shami sahab, enough of Travis Head, he shouldn’t be allowed to score runs now].”

Head’s numbers towards India in ODIs underline the risk he poses. In 9 innings, he has amassed 345 runs at a median of 43.12, together with a century within the World Cup closing. His aggressive strategy on the prime makes him a game-changer, and Harbhajan believes neutralising him is essential.
However, Head just isn’t the one Australian batter India have to be cautious of. Harbhajan recognized Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis as two different key gamers who may flip the sport immediately.
“Their lower-order batters, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis, are strong hitters and deal in sixes and fours,” he identified. “They must not be allowed to score runs quickly.”
Harbhajan additionally had a phrase of recommendation for the Indian crew as they step right into a do-or-die encounter. While the strain of a knockout match might be immense, he urged the gamers to preserve issues easy.
“The third one is simple — it’s a knockout match, and in a knockout match, one should not try too hard,” he mentioned. “You have to play in the same manner as you have been playing.”

With Head’s observe file in crunch video games and Australia’s skill to rise to large events, India will want to execute Harbhajan’s recreation plan to perfection. As the 2 cricketing giants conflict as soon as once more, the battle between Shami and Head may set the tone for one more epic encounter.