Ricky Ponting picks favourites for India vs Australia 2025 Champions Trophy semifinal

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has opined on his favorites for the high-voltage Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash between India and Australia on March 4, Tuesday. Ponting believes Team India will start as overwhelming favorites, given the Men in Blue have been playing all their matches at the same venue.

With India and Australia meeting in ODIs for the first time since the 2023 World Cup final in Ahmedabad in November 2023, fans will be glued to the fixture. Rohit Sharma and Co. have had the opportunity to acclimatize to the sluggish surfaces in Dubai where run-scoring has been far from easy. By contrast, Australia will be playing their first game at the venue and are likely to face a four-pronged spin-bowling attack.

Speaking on the latest episode of the ICC Review, Ponting opined that Australia have had to rush to Dubai; hence, face an uphill task to win at the venue.

"I think India are going to start favourites in this game. I don't think there's any doubt about that with what they've done in the tournament so far. The fact that they're playing in the venue that they've played their games in. They haven't had to move and travel. They've been training on those wickets all the time. Australia have rushed in to Dubai to get ready for the game."

Steve Smith and co. have also been short of game time since beating England in the group stage. Their games against Afghanistan and South Africa resulted in washouts but they were in pole position to win the contest while facing the former.

"They've got a lot of experienced players in this Indian side" - Ricky Ponting

Team India. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ponting went on to claim that India should not be focused on what happened during the 2023 World Cup final. With India also a different coach and a support staff, the Tasmanian feels the result of the World Cup should barely matter. Ponting added:

"Big games and big moments like that, you would hope that would be left behind in the dressing room there and that night, and you got to move on pretty quickly. They've got a lot of experienced players in this Indian side, a different coach as well, which might be something that means they haven't talked about it or haven't focused on it, or do they use it as motivation?"

"Do they talk about it a lot and try and motivate themselves and get up to redeem themselves from that World Cup final? So there's two ways to look at it but if they're playing well, I don't think they need to be focused on anything other than just making sure they find a way to get better every game."

Rohit and Co. are also the only side to win all their games thus far in this tournament.