As Rohit Sharma-led India prepares to face Steve Smith’s Australia in the first semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Indian fans have turned to prayers for their team’s success. A video surfacing online, reported by ANI, shows devoted fans offering prayers at a Varanasi temple, seeking divine blessings ahead of the high-stakes encounter.
Fans offered prayers in Varanasi for India's Victory in the Semifinal vs Australia 🇮🇳 [ANI] pic.twitter.com/BXuYosYZm2
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 4, 2025
This isn’t the first time such scenes have unfolded, but the memories of India’s heartbreaking loss to Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final continue to weigh heavily on fans’ minds. That defeat at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, in front of a 130,000-strong crowd, remains fresh. The upcoming semi-final presents India with a chance to settle the score against a transformed Australian team.
India’s journey in the Champions Trophy 2025 has been dominant, with convincing victories over Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand. Meanwhile, Australia’s path to the semi-finals has been a test of resilience, with a stunning opening win against England followed by two rain-hit games that worked in their favor.
The Australian squad of 2025 differs from the 2023 lineup that thrived under the leadership of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, both of whom are absent. On the other hand, India has grown stronger, with a formidable bowling attack featuring Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy. With Dubai’s pitch favoring spin, India appears well-positioned for the challenge.
Speaking on the eve of the match, Rohit Sharma emphasized India’s focus and approach:
“It’s a great opposition to play against. All we had to do is what we’ve been thinking about in the last three games. We have to approach the game in a similar fashion. We understand the opposition and how they play. But I think the more we focus on what we need to do as a group, as a player, as a batting unit, as a bowling unit, that helps us a lot.”
Squads for IND vs AUS Semi-Final
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (w), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
Australia: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Adam Zampa.
