India may prefer Australia over South Africa in Champions Trophy semi-final, says Sunil Gavaskar

Team India has stormed into the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with dominant victories over Bangladesh and Pakistan. However, their final group-stage match against New Zealand will decide their semi-final opponent. If India loses, they will face South Africa, while a win would set up a high-voltage clash against Australia.

Former Indian captain and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has shared his thoughts on India's preferred semifinal opponent. Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar suggested that India might favor playing against Australia rather than South Africa, primarily due to the Aussies' depleted pace attack.

Cricket legend believes Australia’s weakened pace attack could benefit India

"Both teams are formidable, make no mistake. There’s no such team that India will say because now they know they’ve come to the knockout stages. Here it’s now make or break, so I don’t think they would prefer to have any team. Maybe Australia, because they’ve played Australia, knows Australia a little bit better than South Africa, whom they last played in the T20 World Cup 2024 final. So maybe they might prefer Australia because Australia are without their main bowlers. There’s no Starc, Cummins, and Hazlewood, so maybe they would want to play them,” Gavaskar told India Today.

Australia has had an inconsistent campaign so far. They pulled off a thrilling chase of 352 against England, powered by Josh Inglis’ brilliant century (120 off 86). However, their next two group-stage matches against South Africa and Afghanistan were washed out due to rain, allowing them to qualify for the semi-finals with just four points.

With key pacers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood missing, Australia's bowling attack has struggled. Spencer Johnson bowled well against Afghanistan but was ineffective against England, while Ben Dwarshuis has taken six wickets but has also leaked runs. Their batting has been the stronger suit, with Travis Head smashing a rapid 40-ball 59 against Afghanistan before rain ended the game prematurely.

While Australia has weaknesses, South Africa presents a more formidable challenge. The Proteas defeated India in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, and their current form suggests they could be a serious threat in the semifinals. Their lethal pace attack, led by Marco Jansen, played a crucial role in dismantling England. Additionally, their aggressive top-order batting could trouble India if they face off in the knockout stage.

With both potential opponents posing different challenges, India's performance against New Zealand will determine which team they face in their quest for Champions Trophy glory.

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