Here they go again—another India-Australia showdown on a grand stage, this time in the Champions Trophy semi-final. The prevailing sentiment is that this Indian team, with spin riches, is well-heeled to cash in on the conditions in Dubai.
However, unlike the situation before the 2023 World Cup final, when fans prematurely crowned India as world champions, the mood this time is more measured. That day, Australia marched into the world’s biggest stadium, silenced the home crowd, and claimed the World Cup trophy. It was the ultimate mic-drop moment, and the rest of the cricketing world collectively said, “Well, I guess we should never bet against Australia again.”
India heads into the CT semi-final as favourites. They’ve looked like a well-oiled machine throughout the tournament. Rohit Sharma continues to lead from the front with his trademark swagger, Shubman Gill is batting like he’s been playing for 15 years, and Virat Kohli has reminded everyone that he’s still, you know, Virat Kohli.
Their middle order has been rock-solid with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel stepping up, while Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have chipped in with crucial knocks. Get past them and you have Ravindra Jadeja at eight.
And then, in a move that could only be described as very well-thought-out, India is bursting with spin riches. Varun Chakravarthy took a five-wicket haul in his first game of the tournament against New Zealand is perceived as India’s trump card.
But while India might have the momentum, they have a Head-ache. Travis Head, that is—who seems to be the walking embodiment of a problem for the opposition. Would you bet against an Australian team with that kind of firepower?
Additionally, the Aussies are missing their entire world-class pace attack thanks to a cocktail of injuries and unavailability. Their recent form? Less than stellar. And to top it all off, they’re playing in Dubai, a venue that’s traditionally been less “home ground advantage” and more “why are we here again?” for them. And yet, despite all of this, many are still unwilling to completely write them off.
If you’re a betting person, you’d be wise to remember this: in cricket, as in life, anything can happen. And when it comes to Australia, you just know that if they’re still standing, they’re not out of the game yet.
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