Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Australia final on the cards, predicts former Aussie all-rounder

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Australia's dominant performance in the Champions Trophy 2025 has impressed their former all-rounder Dan Christian, who believes the team is well on course for a blockbuster final against India, who just confirmed their semifinal spot the other night.

Despite missing their star pacers -- Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood -- Australia showcased remarkable quality in their record chase of 352 against England in Lahore.

Dan Christian, speaking at the International Masters League T20 2025 post-match press conference on February 24, praised the Australian side for their ability to elevate their game on the biggest stage.

"(Australia) They are playing some good cricket. They were probably not playing their best cricket before in the series in Sri Lanka, but ICC tournaments seem to bring out the best in them. They looked fantastic the other night as Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, and Glenn Maxwell all did well," he said.

In the high-scoring clash against England, Josh Inglis starred with an unbeaten 120, while Alex Carey (69), Matthew Short (63), and Glenn Maxwell (32 not out) played crucial roles in the chase. England's Ben Duckett had earlier set the stage with a remarkable 165, propelling England to a formidable total.

Australia's bowling unit, despite missing its frontline pacers, managed to contain England's powerful lineup. Ben Dwarshuis led the attack with 3/66, while Nathan Ellis bowled a disciplined spell of 0/51 in 10 overs. Christian lauded the bowling effort under challenging circumstances. "I think the bowlers did well even though they did concede 350. Particularly because they are missing Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins. If they keep on playing like that, we can expect an India vs Australia final," he added.

The former Australian cricketer also weighed in on the evolving approach of modern batters, particularly aggressive openers like Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, who prefer attacking from the first ball.

"It's great to watch, isn't it? The younger players these days are playing a lot more shots early in their innings than we ever did. They play some extraordinary shots on both sides of the wicket while trying to take down bowlers from ball one," Christian noted.

Reflecting on how this approach has transformed the game, he highlighted the increasing difficulty for bowlers. "It makes the bowling pretty hard as bowlers have to execute their bowling to perfection every single time. When I was playing, the room for error would have been two or three feet; now it's three inches, otherwise the guys hit it out of the park. The skill level is getting better and better," he concluded.

With Australia hitting form at the right time and India maintaining their dominance, Christian's prediction of a high-stakes final could very well turn into reality.