 "India vs Australia semi-final: Legends including Gavaskar, De Villiers weigh in on likely winners")
As India gear up for a blockbuster semi-final clash against Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, cricketing greats, including Sunil Gavaskar, AB de Villiers, Michael Clarke and Michael Vaughan, have weighed in on the contest and picked their favourites.
Champions Trophy 2025: News | Schedule | Results | Points Table
And it’s no surprise that most of them have gone with Team India as their favourite for the upcoming semi-final against Australia, given the sensational form of the Men in Blue and their highly compatible strengths with the match venue in Dubai.
The highly anticipated match will be played in Dubai on Tuesday, 4 March. India defeated New Zealand in their last and final group-stage game to finish at the top of the Group A points table and set up the semi-final against the Aussies.
Gavaskar says Dubai pitch will favour India
Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes that the slow and spin-friendly conditions in Dubai could work in India’s favour, especially given Australia’s weakened bowling attack.
“On this surface, yes, because Australia don’t seem to have the kind of spinning attack, apart from the fact that they are missing out on key players like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc. Their batting is good. The batting is very aggressive. The ideal thing would be for India maybe to chase, rather than having Australia chase,” Gavaskar told India Today.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan also believes India are the team to beat in the tournament. While he acknowledged that Australia could be the only side capable of stopping India, he doubts it will happen on the slow Dubai pitch.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Whoever beats India wins… Simple… I think it’s only the Aussies who could get them.. #ChampionsTrophy2025 but I very much doubt it on the Dubai pitch,” Vaughan tweeted.
De Villiers predicts India vs South Africa final
Batting great De Villiers feels it would be an even contest, however, he picked India and South Africa to progress to the final from their respective semi-finals.
“It’s tough to predict, but I have a gut feeling we will see an India vs South Africa final. It could be just like the T20 World Cup final last year, and I wouldn’t be surprised if history repeats itself (with both teams meeting again this time ),” De Villiers said.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has also backed India to win the tournament. “I think India is going to win the tournament. I am going with them,” Clarke said on his YouTube show Beyond23.
However, Clarke made this prediction before the India vs New Zealand match, when the semi-final scheduling was still uncertain. He had predicted India to defeat Australia in the final and not in the semi-final.
Dubai’s pitch has historically favoured spinners, and India’s superior spin attack gives them a major edge. With the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy in their ranks, India have the weapons to exploit the conditions and control Australia’s aggressive batting.
The winner of the India vs Australia semi-final will move on to the Champions Trophy final, which is set to be played on 9 March. If India qualify, the final will be held outside of Pakistan, the official host nation of the competition.
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