Australia’s Bold Gamble: Why Cooper Connolly Opened in the Champions Trophy Semi-Final Against India
A Surprise Selection for the High-Stakes Semi-Final
In a bold and unexpected move, Australia picked Cooper Connolly to open the batting in their Champions Trophy semi-final against India, despite his limited experience at the top order. Before this match, Connolly had opened just once in List A cricket and had only played three ODIs, scoring a total of 10 runs with a highest score of 7*.
Connolly was drafted into the squad as a replacement for the injured Matthew Short, who suffered a quad injury in Australia’s washed-out match against Afghanistan. Given the high-pressure nature of the semi-final, why did Australia take this risk?
Australia have won the toss and chosen to bat first in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final.
They’ve made two changes, bringing in Tanveer Sangha and Cooper Connolly, while India stick with an unchanged XI.
Which side do you think will take the win? #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/mZwTEFHnd7
— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) March 4, 2025
Why Did Australia Pick Cooper Connolly as Opener?
- Lack of Reliable Opening Options
Australia faced a selection dilemma due to the unavailability of a specialist opener. While Josh Inglis and Alex Carey were alternative choices, both have rarely opened in competitive cricket. Given their crucial middle-order role and ability to handle spin, the team management did not want to disrupt the batting order.
- Josh Inglis: Strike rate of 94.56 against spin since the last ODI World Cup
- Alex Carey: Averages 76 against spin, with a strike rate of 102.01
With Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne known to struggle against spinners, keeping Inglis and Carey in the middle overs made more sense.
- A Tactical Powerplay Move
Rather than exposing Connolly to the spin-heavy middle overs, Australia gave him a license to attack in the powerplay, where only two fielders are outside the inner circle. The idea was to capitalize on fielding restrictions, but the move backfired as Connolly struggled against Mohammed Shami, eventually getting dismissed for a nine-ball duck.
- The All-Rounder Factor: Connolly vs. Fraser-McGurk
Australia had another option in Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has opened in six of his seven ODIs. However, his poor form (98 runs at an average of 14) made him a risky choice.
Instead, Australia prioritized Connolly’s all-round skills. As a left-arm spinner, Connolly added variety to Australia’s bowling attack—a crucial factor considering India fielded four spinners on a pitch expected to offer turn.
A Calculated Risk That Didn’t Pay Off
Despite the logical reasoning behind Connolly’s selection, the experiment didn’t yield the desired results. His early dismissal put Australia under pressure, proving that semi-finals are not the ideal stage for experiments.
Was this gamble worth it? Or should Australia have gone with a more experienced opener? Share your thoughts in the comments!
