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Australia will enter the Champions Trophy 2025 as one of the strongest contenders to win the prestigious ICC tournament even though several key players are out of the squad with injury concerns. The most important one being Australia’s regular skipper Pat Cummins, and pace sensation Mitchell Starc. However, the Australian team is loaded with talent and experience and are therefore favourites to lift the title this time around.
However, their start to the tournament will not be easy as they are set to face Afghanistan, South Africa and England in the group stages. The three teams pooled against the Aussies will not only aim to defeat the ODI World cup winners but also carry the ability to outperform the Steve Smith led team on their team. In light of their impressive performances in the past, here is an analysis of the teams set to lock horns against Australia in group A of the Champions Trophy 2025.
Australia’s quest to win Champions Trophy 2025
The Australian team’s recent record tells a tale of dominance and stellar performance in international cricket. The team had an impressive season in Test cricket with a remarkable win against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as they won the series for the first time in more than a decade. The team then went to Sri Lanka and outperformed the home side in the 2-match Test series.
However, the team’s recent loss in the ODI series against Sri Lanka can cause concern but still the team’s emphatic triumph outweighs their performances against the Sri Lankan side where they were below par according to their own high standards. The Aussies thus have a point to prove, that they can win even without the presence of stars like Cummins and Starc and can perform well in sub-continent conditions. A win for the Aussies in the Champions Trophy can prove both these points for the team.
Also Read: New Zealand’s group-stage rivals: Evaluating India, Pakistan & Bangladesh in Champions Trophy 2025
Afghanistan: Not a bottom-placed team anymore
Strengths: A well balanced team with seasoned all-rounders
There was a time once that the Afghanistan team was considered as the underdogs of international cricket looming on the sidelines of the game. However, the team has overturned the tide in a matter of a few years and is now loaded with a number of quality all-rounders like Azmatullah Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, and Rahmat Shah. Additionally the team has a well-balanced structure with depth in both batting and bowling units. The Afghan side can prove detrimental to any side and have the ability to outperform any side in the ODI format.
Weakness: Lack of big-match temperament
The Afghan side is a quality opposition for any rival side in any tournament. However, the team has developed a pattern to underperform in pressure situations and big matches when a stellar display matters the most.
A noteworthy glimpse of this tendency from the team was seen during the 2023 ODI World Cup when the team fell short despite posing a total of 291 runs and dominating the Aussies with the bowl who were at one time struggling on 91/7 in 18.3 overs. But the entire Afghanistan team struggled to put up against an onslaught from Glenn Maxwell who scored an emphatic double-century despite being injured and saved the day for the Aussies, securing a place in the semi-finals.
Threats to Australia: Better acclimatized to sub-continent conditions then a relatively young Australian side
The Afghanistan team thrives on sub-conditions pitches which have a tendency to remain batting friendly with help for spin bowlers during the transition overs of the game. This young Australian side have less experience of playing in these conditions and can succumb to the pressure from Afghan spinners, particularly Rashid who can turn out to be the difference maker for the Afghan side.
South Africa: A side with an ambition to win silverware
Strengths: Batting depth with the ability to score gigantic totals
The South African side, like Australia, are title contenders for the Champions Trophy 2025. The side has a long list of seasoned and talented batters who displayed their prowess recently in the ODI tri-series where they put up 300+ score in both their matches and exerted pressure on rival sides. Thus, they carry the ability to dominate any bowling unit and solidify their chance in the tournament.
Weakness: An inexperienced bowling unit
The Proteas have struggled with the bowl in limited overs cricket. This is evident from the fact that both their 300+ scores were chased down by New Zealand and Pakistan respectively in the ODI tri-series. Furthermore, the side lacks quality support in the bowling unit which is currently led by Kagiso Rabada and Keshav Maharaj. The lack of viable pace and spin option from the other end results in the team inability to apply pressure on batters from both the ends. Thus, batters get breathing space against South African bowling unit as they continue to rotate the strike without thinking too much about the scoreboard pressure.
Threats to Australia: A vulnerable bowling unit in front of mighty Proteas batters
South Africa has the ability to test Australia’s bowlers who lack the experience to play consequential games in ODI format. Thus, the Aussies can crash down in the event of a long-standing partnership between any two Proteas batters. Furthermore, the batting friendly conditions in Pakistan can make it difficult for Australian bowlers to get breakthroughs against South Africa.
England: The arch-rivals hoping to impede Australia’s way
Strengths: The presence of individual talents
The English side has displayed promising performances in bits and pieces during the tour to India. The team is loaded with talents who can prove out to be a bone of contention for any side. The presence of players like Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Saqib Mahmood and Adil Rashid have proven that they can play and dominate in sub-continent conditions.
Weakness: Lack of team cohesion
While the English side has quality, they hardly play as a team in ODI format. The team lacks match sharpness and planning as a team and tend to take decisions which prove to be in harm’s way for the team. This can be a vulnerable trait against the Australian team as well.
Threats to Australia: Dominating Australia in a domino effect
England have developed a tendency of relentlessly attacking the opposition side both with the bat and the bowl. Once that happens, the threat to Australia is that it can turn out to be too much for a young Australian side who may not have an idea of a way to deal with the situation. The pace and intensity with which England can score runs and take wickets can turn out to be deadly for Australians.
