“Don’t seem to have the kind of spinning attack” - Indian legend’s huge prediction for IND vs AUS 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal

Former Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar has picked Team India to be the favorites in the upcoming 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal against Australia. The all-important contest between the two cricketing giants will be played in Dubai on Tuesday, March 4.

India and Australia are the only multiple-time Champions Trophy winners, with the former winning in 2002 and 2013 and the latter in 2006 and 2009. The two teams have been unbeaten thus far in this tournament, with India winning all three games and Australia defeating England and having rain play spoilsport in their other two matches against Afghanistan and South Africa.

Coming to the mouthwatering first semifinal, Gavaskar pointed to the difference in the spin department while giving India the edge in a conversation with India Today.

"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," he said.

While India boast a variety of spinners in their squad, Australia are heavily reliant on Adam Zampa as their lone proven specialist spinner.

India and Australia last met in an ICC event in the 2024 T20 World Cup, with the Men in Blue winning by 24 runs. The two teams recently played in a highly competitive five-match Test series in Australia, with the hosts victorious by a 3-1 margin.

The Men in Yellow also got the better of Rohit Sharma's men in the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.

"The bowlers did so well that it was impossible for New Zealanders" - Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar felt the Dubai wicket for the India-New Zealand Group A clash was far from impossible for the batters. He praised the Indian bowlers for their stellar showing, making life extremely challenging for the Kiwi batters.

After winning the toss and bowling first, New Zealand restricted India to a modest 249 for 9 in 50 overs. However, their batters found the going difficult against a four-pronged Indian spin-bowling attack, led by Varun Chakravarthy's match-winning 5 for 42 in 10 overs.

New Zealand were ultimately bowled out for 205 in just 45.3 overs, resulting in a 44-run victory for India.

"Well, if you had a look at our spinners in the first few overs, they did not get much help. Later on, as the pitch got a little bit better after the rolling, after the dew had settled in, there was a little more grip for the spinners, but it wasn't an impossible pitch. There was a bit of turn. It's just that the bowlers did so well that it was impossible for New Zealanders," said Gavaskar (as per the aforementioned source).

It remains to be seen if India continue with the same bowling lineup against Australia or if one of the spinners gets replaced by a second specialist seamer.