"It's not that we lose to Australia every time" - Aakash Chopra on India's preferred 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final opponent

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Men in Blue shouldn't be concerned about who they would play in the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final. He pointed out that Rohit Sharma and company have recently beaten Australia, even though they lost the 2023 ODI World Cup final to them, and South Africa, their two most likely opponents.

India have already qualified for the 2025 Champions Trophy semi-finals. Depending on the results of the remaining two group games, the Men in Blue will face one among Australia, South Africa, and Afghanistan in the last-four clash in Dubai on Tuesday (March 4), with Hashmatullah Shahidi's side needing a virtual miracle to reach the semi-finals.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the cricketer-turned-commentator was asked to pick India's preferred semi-final opponents.

"Firstly, the team that is winning shouldn't think and we won't think as well. We have the momentum. We have a match on March 2 and then there is a quick turnaround on March 4. So if you have been winning continuously, beat England thrice and won two back-to-back games here, you want to continue in the same vein," he responded (12:50).

"Win and finish as No. 1, that's all I want. By the time tomorrow's match ends, South Africa might have ended No. 1 and we might have to play Australia in the semis, so be it. It's not that we lose to Australia every time. We lost the World Cup final to Australia for sure, but we beat them in the league phase," Chopra added.

While highlighting that Australia don't have a formidable bowling attack, the former India opener added that the Men in Blue have had an upper hand against South Africa lately.

"The Australian bowling might have done well, but it doesn't give you that much confidence. We can beat South Africa as well. We beat them at their home these days. We beat them in the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup final as well," Chopra observed.

India beat Australia by six wickets in their 2023 ODI World Cup opener before losing to Pat Cummins and company by the same margin in the final. Rohit Sharma and company thrashed South Africa by 243 runs in their only clash in the 2023 World Cup.

---

"We need to play our best cricket and back ourselves that we can win" - Aakash Chopra on India's 2025 Champions Trophy ambitions

India won the 2013 Champions Trophy. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that India should only bother about playing their best cricket if they harbor hopes of winning the 2025 Champions Trophy.

"If we have to lift the Champions Trophy and relive the beautiful moments of 2013, we need to stop thinking who would be against us. Whoever comes whenever and wherever, we need to play our best cricket and back ourselves that we can win," he said.

However, Chopra noted that he would pick South Africa as India's preferred semi-final opponent if someone placed a gun on his head and forced him to choose one. The analyst reasoned that he has learned from experience that Australia can't be ruled out anytime.