We are into the ICC Champions 2025 Trophy Semifinals and four teams; India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia will compete for the title. After Team India’s win over New Zealand in the last league stage match, it is clear that India vs Australia (IND vs AUS) and South Africa vs New Zealand (SA vs NZ) will lock horns against each other in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semifinals.
Today, we will preview the India vs Australia (1st Semifinal) match, to be played on March 04 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. We will talk about the head-to-head, players to watch out for, pitch and weather report, strengths and weaknesses of both teams, and more. So let’s begin.
India vs Australia, 1st Semifinal, Dubai
India’s Road to Semifinal
Team India has topped the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table (Group A) with 3 wins in 3 games. They won the first game against Bangladesh while chasing a stiff target of 229. Shubman Gill scored a brilliant hundred to get the team over the line.
Team India has won the Pakistan game quite convincingly with Virat Kohli scoring his 51st ODI hundred. In the third game, NZ bowlers did well to restrict Team India to 249. But, the quartet of Indian spinners in Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav helped Team India to defend the total and won the game easily in the end.
Australia’s Road to Semifinal
Australia has won the first game against the arch-rivals England while chasing a record total of 352. Josh Inglis’s hundred, Alex Carey and Matt Short’s fifties, and the cameos from Marnus Labuschagne and Glenn Maxwell helped them cross the line 15 balls earlier.
Australia’s next two games were a wash. Against South Africa, there wasn’t even a single ball being bowled (no toss) and against Afghanistan, they were cruising towards victory before rain arrived. The consistent rain didn’t allow any more games and the points were shared. With 4 points, AUS was through to the ICC Champions Trophy Semifinal.
Now, both the teams will face against each other in the 1st semifinal in Dubai on March 04. India vs Australia is always a fierce competition with both teams having so much quality on their side. Let us now see the strengths and weaknesses of India and Australia.
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India’s Strengths
Spin Bowling a Big Plus for Team India
India’s spin bowling is the biggest strength so far in this tournament. They have exploited the Dubai conditions to a good effect. The Indian spinners have choked the opposition batters in the middle overs in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India will again look to put pressure on the Aussie batters with their spinners.
A Strong Batting Line-up
Team India has one of the best batting line-ups in world cricket in ODIs. They have the openers in form, Virat with runs under his best, and Iyer scoring crucial runs in the last few games. Also, they bat deep with Jadeja coming in at No. 8.
India’s weaknesses
Lack of fast-bowling options
Although the pitches in Dubai are conducive for the spinners, fast bowlers are important to change the flow of the game. India is already missing the services of Jasprit Bumrah and has gone with just one proper fast-bowler Mohammad Shami with Hardik doing the seam-bowling all-rounder job.
Shami, after the first game against Bangladesh, hasn’t been effective. Also, Arshdeep and Rana don’t have much experience in ODIs. If there are any injury concerns for any of the fast bowlers (Hardik and Shami) between the game, India might look for options to complete the inning in death overs.
Australia’s Strengths
ICC Knockouts – Been There Done It So Many Times
Australia has the ability to take the pressure and respond well. Over the years, we have seen them doing well at big stages and winning the crucial moments. It is one of their major strengths that other teams might have not cracked.
Fire-power in the Batting
Australia has the firepower in their batting unit. Travis Head is the boggy player for Team India in the last 2.5 years. He has done well against the Indian team across formats.
They also have youngsters like Josh Inglis, Jake Fraser McGurk, and experienced Glenn Maxwell on their side who can turn things in favor of Australia.
Australia’s Weaknesses
Inexperience in Fast-bowling
Australia are without Pat Cummins, Josh Hazelwood, and Mitchell Starc from the beginning of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. They have some decent pace-bowling options in Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis, but the inexperience in these two might cost Australia at a crucial stage.
Lack of quality spinners
Australia has one quality spinner in Adam Zampa, He is a genuine wicket-taker but they need an extra option in Dubai condition. We might also see part-timers like Glenn Maxwell and Marnus Labuschagne bowling a lot more overs than usual in the India vs Australia game.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
The rain might not affect the India vs Australia semifinal as the weather is set to be clear. As far as the pitch, we have seen low-scoring games in all three India fixtures. The wicket in Dubai is traditionally on the slower side, with the spinners having a good time. We can expect the same in the 1st semifinal.
Expected XI
India
Although Rohit Sharma hasn’t revealed the playing XI in the PC, he hinted that Team India might go with the same team against Australia.
India Playing XI (Predicted): Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy
Australia
Australia might be tempted to add an extra spinner with options like Tanveer Sangha and Cooper Connolly available in the team. If the conditions demand, they might drop a pacer for an extra spinner.
Australia Playing XI (Predicted): Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Glenn Maxwell, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Spencer Johnson
India vs Australia Head-to-Head in ODIs and ICC ODI tournaments
In ODIs, Australia is far ahead with 84-57. 10 games ended with no result. In ICC ODI tournaments, Australia are ahead with 10-7.
If we particularly talked about the ICC Champions Trophy (CT), India re leading with 2-1 in 3 games.
Players to watch out for in the India vs Australia semifinal
Steve Smith
Steve Smith has one of the best records in ICC knockouts. Particularly against India, he has done well in the ICC knockout games across formats. He scored a hundred in the 2015 semifinal and a hundred in the ICC WTC Final against India.
If India has to stop Australia, Smith will be the key wicket.
Adam Zampa
Adam Zampa has always troubled the Indiab batters in white-ball cricket. He bowls stump to stump line and quicker through the air. The leg-spinner might be effective on a dry and slow Dubai pitch against Team India.
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has the opportunity to make it count and score big runs at a big stage. He is one of the best batters in the world and has been in a big-match pressure situation quite a few times. Virat has scored runs for India in a few ICC knockout games and he holds the key in the middle overs.
Varun Chakravarthy
Varun Chakravarthy has been the talk of the town since his comeback. His mystery can be effective for India as he can control the game in the middle overs.
CONCLUSION
So this is the preview of the India vs Australia Semifinal in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. It will be an interesting game and the fans are waiting for things to get underway.
For India, a major threat would be their recent records against Australia in the ICC knockouts. Australia will have to look at the fast-bowling options in the absence of their pace trio.
What do you think? Who will win the India vs Australia 1st Semifinal? Comment your prediction below.
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