India, currently in remarkable form, is set to clash with Australia in the first semifinal of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The highly anticipated match will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, March 4.
India has been dominating the cricketing scene recently. Following a clean sweep against England in the three-match ODI series earlier this month, India has continued its winning streak by securing victories in all three group stage matches of the ongoing tournament.
Led by Rohit Sharma, India is now focused on advancing further by defeating Australia in this crucial semifinal. Ahead of the match, let’s take a look at the India Playing 11.
India Playing 11 vs Australia – ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Semifinal:
Openers: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are expected to open the innings for India. Both players struggled in their previous match against New Zealand and will be aiming for a stronger performance in this must-win game.
Shubman Gill, who began the tournament with a century, managed only 2 runs in the last game. Meanwhile, captain Rohit Sharma fell for 15 runs after failing to capitalize on a promising start.
Middle-Order Batsmen and Allrounders: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja
Virat Kohli started confidently against New Zealand, hitting two quick boundaries, but was dismissed for a modest score after a spectacular catch by Glenn Phillips. Known for his ability to perform in high-pressure situations, Kohli will be key in the semifinal.
Shreyas Iyer was India’s top scorer in the previous match, stabilizing the innings with a 128-run partnership with Axar Patel after an early collapse. Iyer scored 79 runs, including 4 fours and 2 sixes.
Axar Patel contributed 42 runs before being dismissed by Rachin Ravindra. KL Rahul also got a start but was soon out for 23 runs, caught by Mitchell Santner.
Hardik Pandya, who scored a quick 45 runs, and Ravindra Jadeja, with 16 runs, will also feature as all-rounders. All three—Axar, Pandya, and Jadeja—also chipped in with a wicket each during the match.
Bowlers: Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy
India made a strategic change in their bowling lineup against New Zealand, replacing Harshit Rana with Varun Chakravarthy. The move paid dividends as Chakravarthy delivered a Player of the Match performance, claiming 5 wickets for 42 runs.
Mohammed Shami, though wicketless, is likely to retain his place in the team. Kuldeep Yadav picked up 2 wickets and is expected to continue in the playing 11. Given their impressive performance, India is unlikely to make any changes to the bowling lineup.
