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Australia have had a mixed bag of experiences in the Champions Trophy 2025. The team outperformed England in their first group stage contest. However, rain interrupted their campaign and their group stage clashes against South Africa and Afghanistan were wholly and partially shrouded by rain respectively.
With their solid performances against England, the Aussies managed to make it to the semi-finals of the tournament owing to their higher net run-rate than Afghanistan.
Australia’s injury woes impede their way
The Australian side were surrounded with injury concerns even before the start of their Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. The most important setback for the world champions came in the form of regular skipper Pat Cummins and pacer Mitchell Starc who have been ruled out of the tournament due to injury concerns.
Additionally, all-rounder Marcus Stoinis took his name back before the tournament announcing his retirement from ODI cricket. The injury woes for Australia did not just end there, all-rounder Matthew Short was also injured after a major injury ended his run with the national team during the group stage match against Afghanistan. Thus, the Australian team is already thin on the bench and on the verge of exhausting all its options ahead of the vital clash against India.
Also Read: Fear of Travis Head grips Indian fans as social media overflows with memes ahead of semifinal against Australia – Champions Trophy 2025
Australia’s predicted XI for the semi-final match against India
1. Travis Head
- Role: Score quick runs on the board and give a solid start to the team.
- Strength: Head is responsible for applying early pressure on the Indian bowling unit and scoring some quick runs on the board so that the team can aim for the desired results.
2. Alex Carey
- Role: In the absence of Matthew Short, Carey can open the innings for Australia as he did it early on in his career and can support Head from the other end.
- Strength: Can play some dynamic cricket according to the need of the game and stabilize the Australian innings early on.
3. Marnus Labuschagne
- Role: Hold the wicket from one end and exhaust the Indian spin unit in middle overs.
- Strength: Labuschagne is known for his temperamental batting skills and his patient build-up during the course of the game.
4. Steve Smith
- Role: Leader of the squad, can score big runs of the team.
- Strength: Steve Smith is responsible to do the heavy-lifting in the middle order and provide the team with a solid base for other batters to score quick runs.
5. Josh Inglis
- Role: Dynamic batter with the ability to attack relentlessly
- Strength: Inglis has emerged as a pillar of strength for the Australian side and is currently the in-form batter of the team who can create counter-attack opportunities and score quick runs in transition overs.
6. Glenn Maxwell
- Role: Power-hitter with the ability to deliver results both with the bat and the bowl.
- Strength: Maxwell is responsible for adding runs in the team’s total during the death overs and restricting the rivals with the bowl during the middle overs.
7. Aaron Hardie
- Role: Bowling all-rounder with the ability to bowl middle overs and emerge as a handy option with the bat
- Strength: Hardie can restrict the batters from the other end thus applying pressure on the batters which often leads to breakthroughs. He is also a reliable option with the bat.
8. Nathan Ellis
- Role: Leader of the pace attack, provide the team with some early wickets
- Strength: Can provide the team with some early breakthroughs and utilize the early seam movement of the Dubai pitch.
9. Adam Zampa
- Role: Leader of the spin attack, can trouble the batters during the middle overs.
- Strength: Zampa’s wicket-taking ability can prove detrimental to Indian batters, particularly on Dubai pitches which has helped spinners in the recent past.
10. Ben Dwarshuis
- Role: A calibrated pacer with disciplined line and length.
- Strength: Dwarshuis is responsible for supporting Ellis on the other end and keeping the pressure on from one end to force batters to commit mistakes.
11. Tanveer Sangha
- Role: Dubai pitch has helped spinners, therefore Tanveer Sangha can be brought to support Zampa from one end and add the spin threat to the team.
- Strength: Sangha can utilize the turning track and trouble Indian batters, also restrict them from one end providing a pressure chamber for Zampa as well. Spencer Johnson’s form has been a mixed bag in the tournament therefore it is the right time for Australia to go into the semi-finals with a different approach.
