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With the Champions Trophy 2025 just around the corner, cricket experts and former players have started weighing in on their favorites for the prestigious tournament. The eight-team event is set to take place from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and UAE.
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently retired from international cricket, has backed India and New Zealand as the top contenders for the title while also warning against writing off Australia despite their injury concerns.
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Ashwin Picks India as the Team to Beat
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin highlighted how India’s familiarity with Dubai’s conditions could be a decisive factor:
“India has the home advantage in Dubai, and it’s almost like every other team is playing an away match against India. This is a problem for the other teams, for sure.”
However, Ashwin also raised concerns about India’s preparation, questioning whether a tri-series would have been more beneficial than a bilateral series against England ahead of the tournament.
“Is this preparation with England enough for the Indian team ahead of CT in Dubai? Should we have played a tri-series too? Pakistan, New Zealand, and South Africa are playing in Pakistan conditions, which would help them in the CT.”
“India only played against England in India, and moreover, we don’t have a lot of pleasant memories of playing T20s in Dubai. The toss becomes really crucial in Dubai.”
New Zealand: The Dark Horses?
Despite missing key pacers Trent Boult and Tim Southee, Ashwin believes New Zealand remains a strong contender.
“After India, New Zealand is one of the strongest teams in the Champions Trophy. Since the likes of Southee and Boult are not playing, there is a question mark about their bowling attack. Who will accompany Matt Henry? Will it be Will O’Rourke or Ben Sears?”
He also praised New Zealand’s spin attack, which includes Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips, and captain Mitchell Santner, stating that leadership decisions would be crucial to their campaign.
Australia: A Team That Rises to the Occasion
While Australia has been hit hard by injuries to Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, and Marcus Stoinis, Ashwin still considers them a dangerous team in ICC tournaments.
“Steven Smith as captain is a marriage made in heaven. Smith is going to captain the team in the Champions Trophy. Will Smith, Head, Maxwell, and Labuschagne pull through the team to the semis? I always believe that Australia is a champion team that always brings its A-game in marquee tournaments.”
However, he acknowledged that their bowling struggles could be a major weakness, stating that Smith’s form and leadership would be crucial.
Tri-Series Revival: A Boost for ODI Cricket
Ashwin also expressed excitement about the revival of tri-series tournaments, which he believes can reignite interest in ODI cricket.
“Another moment of happiness is the return of the tri-series. Yeah, there are bilateral series happening, including the India-England one. But it feels like England isn’t playing serious enough cricket.”
He recalled the dominance of England in their recent series against Pakistan but questioned if their aggressive batting approach would work in the tough conditions of the Champions Trophy.
“I don’t think the Champions Trophy in Pakistan will have such pitches. It will be far from easy for bowlers, and probably, England’s firepower would be back to shooting blanks in the tournament.”
