The ICC Champions Trophy has returned with a bang this month with both India and New Zealand charging into the semi-final from Group A with a game to spare. The quadrennial ODI tournament has not been contested since 2017 when Pakistan defeated India at The Oval to lift the trophy for the first time in their history. India had been eyeing a piece of history of their own eight years ago but they failed to become the first three-time winners of the competition.
Heading into this year’s tournament in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, both India and Australia have recorded two previous trophy wins apiece and featured in the pre-tournament betting markets as the top two in the outright betting. India are due to host the ICC Champions Trophy in four years time and would love to head back home as defending champions. According to the latest outright odds available with most major online cricket betting sites in India, a third ICC Champions Trophy win could be on the horizon as India have consolidated their position as the bookies’ red-hot favourites to win this year’s edition of the trophy.
India have so much going in their favour at this year’s ICC Champions Trophy. Main rivals Australia arrived at the tournament with a squad besieged with injuries and are without their entire first choice pace bowling attack. Meanwhile, India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan means all of their games are set to be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This single location in Dubai ensures minimal travel and a settled Indian squad.
On the pitch, India are undoubtedly the standout ODI team, despite losing the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final to Australia on home soil. Prior to that six wicket loss, India had notched up ten straight wins in the competition and prepared for this year’s ICC Champions Trophy with a 3-0 ODI series whitewash of England just before the tournament started.
Indian Firepower
India possesses probably the most talented crop of batsmen in the tournament with the likes of Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma all potential match winners on their day. Kohli was named as Player of the Tournament at the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup thanks to a tournament-high 765 runs. Kohli has already picked up a Player of the Match award at the tournament as a superb century helped India to a six wicket group stage win over Pakistan.
Whilst the legendary Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are nearing the end of their respective careers, India have in Shubman Gill the next star off the conveyor belt of world-leading batsmen. 25-year-old Gill was the fastest player to reach 2000 runs (38 innings) and 2500 runs in (50 innings) in ODI cricket. Shubman Gill got India up and running in the ICC Champions Trophy with a dominant 101 not out in a Player of the Match performance against Bangladesh last week.
What Next For India?
India face New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday 2nd March with both nations already guaranteed a place in the semi-final. The current market leaders, India will feature in the first ICC Champions Trophy semi-final with the game set to take place on Tuesday 4th March.
