India vs Australia, Champions Trophy Semi-Final: Key Insights, Strengths And Weaknesses

It is the ultimate showdown in cricket. It is the biggest rivalry of this century. It is India vs Australia at an ICC event. It is India vs Australia in the semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai! India have been in menacing form in the tournament and are the only team to win all of their group-stage encounters. Australia, on the other hand, despite the handicap in their pace attack, have looked in ominous form with the bat. We look at the strengths and weaknesses of the two teams and some key insights ahead of the mega contest.

INDIA 

India's Trump Card - Spin Quartet

India have the best spin bowling unit in the competition and that gives them a massive edge against Australia in the first semi-final in turning conditions in Dubai. Spinners have an economy rate of 4.5 in Dubai in comparison to fast bowlers who have conceded 5.35 per over at the venue. 

The Indian spinners have picked 16 wickets - the most for any team in the competition at an average of 26.12 and strike rate of 34.3 - again the best in the tournament! India have variety, potency and control in their attack and that is what makes their quartet lethal in suitable conditions. Varun Chakravarthy has bagged 20 wickets in seven white-ball games for India at a strike rate of 11.4 in 2025, Kuldeep Yadav still boasts of a strike rate of 31.5 in ODI cricket while Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja will squeeze the runs in the middle overs with their immaculate line and length. 

Although India boasts of a formidable batting line-up, it is their bowlers who have won them all the three matches in the tournament. They restricted Pakistan and Bangladesh to less than 250 before defending 249 against New Zealand.

Rohit & Iyer - Key to India's batting

India