‘Mohammed Shami Was The Bowler And I Got So Angry’: Australia Legend Blasts Opener For Reckless Thinking

Last Updated:March 05, 2025, 10:54 IST

India defeated Australia by four wickets in Dubai to enter a third straight Champions Trophy final

Mohammed Shami (left) got rid of Cooper Connolly for a nine-ball duck. (AP Photo)

Australia‘s campaign at the Champions Trophy 2025 came to an end with a semifinal defeat to India in Dubai on Tuesday. After opting to bat first, Australia were bowled out for 264 in 49.3 overs before India overhauled the target with relative ease and entered a third straight final of the Champions Trophy.

Australia made a couple of changes to their playing XI as they shored up their spin bowling options with the addition of Tanveer Sangha and batting allrounder Cooper Connolly.

Connolly opened in the game with Matt Short absent due to an injury. However, the rookie had a nightmare as he failed to score before being removed for a nine-ball duck by India pacer Mohammed Shami.

Legendary Australia wicketkeeper Ian Healy has criticised Connolly for not respecting the challenging conditions as he kept going for big shots.

“I got so angry. (Opening partner) Travis Head was gesturing about how slow the wicket was to his partner (in Connolly),” said Healy on SEN Radio.

“Cooper Connolly just kept swinging. In those conditions, you have to work the ball around into gaps and not swing (for the fences). He faced nine balls for nought. A duck and he played and missed at the first eight and then nicked the ninth,” he added.

Healy said Connolly should have dropped anchor and worked for his runs rather than attempting to hit boundaries.

“Mohammad Shami was the bowler and I was just getting so angry. It was such poor thinking and when you’re batting in tough conditions, you have got to work hard. He was swiping away, square on the off-side and just not watching the ball at all,” Healy said.

Healy, who played 119 Tests and 168 ODIs, claimed Connolly wasn’t watching the ball and instead kept his focus on the gap in the field.

“There were three and a half hours of hard work (to be had there) and it was just reckless thinking rather than getting the ball on the bat and using your footwork. Connolly’s footwork was absent, his shot selection was poor, and his technique of the shot was poor because he wasn’t watching the ball. His head was watching the gap (in the field) where he thought the ball was going to go and he kept missing it all the time,” he said.