IND vs AUS, Champions Trophy 2025: Australian great picks India as favourite for Dubai semifinal

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As India and Australia gear up for their much-anticipated semifinal clash in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has backed India as the "favourites" heading into the high-stakes encounter in Dubai.

India and Australia will meet in an ODI for the first time since their 2023 World Cup final showdown, where Australia stunned an unbeaten Indian side to lift their sixth title. However, ahead of their latest faceoff, Ponting believes India has the upper hand given their form and familiarity with the conditions.

Speaking to Sanjana Ganesan on The ICC Review, Ponting remarked, "I think India are going to start favourites in this game. I don't think there's any doubt about that with what they've done in the tournament so far. The fact that they're playing in the venue that they've played their games in. They haven't had to move and travel. They've been training on those wickets all the time. Australia have rushed in to Dubai to get ready for the game."

India has dominated Group A, winning all their matches, while Australia secured their semifinal berth as the second-ranked team in Group B with four points. The conditions in Dubai, where India has played all their matches due to geopolitical tensions with host nation Pakistan, could prove advantageous for Rohit Sharma's men.

Ponting also weighed in on whether India will be affected by their World Cup final defeat. He suggested that while such setbacks can serve as motivation, India has an experienced squad capable of focusing on the present challenge.

"Big games and big moments like that, you would hope that would be left behind in the dressing room there and that night, and you got to move on pretty quickly. They've got a lot of experienced players in this Indian side, a different coach as well, which might be something that means they haven't talked about it or haven't focused on it," Ponting said.

He further added, "Do they use it as motivation? Do they talk about it a lot and try to motivate themselves and get up to redeem themselves from that World Cup final? So there's two ways to look at it but if they're playing well, I don't think they need to be focused on anything other than just making sure they find a way to get better every game."

India's last group-stage match saw them clinch a 44-run victory over New Zealand, further solidifying their credentials as a formidable side. Australia, on the other hand, had rain-affected games but showcased their firepower with a record-breaking chase against England.

With the semifinal set for Tuesday, all eyes will be on whether India can capitalize on their familiarity with Dubai's conditions or if Australia will once again rise to the occasion in an ICC knockout clash.