We wanted to face Australia in the semi-final, we don’t want to play them in the final: Kuldeep Yadav on Champions Trophy 2025 | Cricket News
India remained unbeaten during the 2023 World Cup till the final. It would be Australia in the final who would upset the team in Ahemadabad. And in 2025 it would once again be Australia whom India would have to face to go to the final and they would beat them. Wr spinner Kuldeep Yadav would recall how it was easier to face Australia in the semifinal and not the final.
“I had Hernia surgery in November, so it was difficult to come back and find the same rhythm. I personally believe that it was a good tournament for us. We wanted to face Australia in the semi-final, we don’t want to play them in the final. It’s a totally different pressure. Much better to play them in the semifinal rather than in the finals,” Kuldeep Yadav said on Beyond 23 Cricket Podcast.
The chief protagon of India’s semi-final win was Virat Kohli, who composed a familiarly scientific 84 in chase, and en route completed 8,000 runs when hunting down targets alone. But it was also a triumph of collectivism, with a resourceful ensemble cast performing their roles to perfection, so much so that their contributions were as significant as Kohli’s in the larger context of the game.
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After beating Australia, India would eventually beat New Zealand to win the Champions Trophy 2025. India would lift the trophy after 13 years.
Kuldeep would also reflect on the pressures that would come with the Indian cap. “We lost the series against Australia, and there was a lot of media attention, and the BCCI got strict as well. You have to be on your toes every series, and that’s how it works here in India. You can’t take your place in the team for granted, because there are so many players coming up,” Kuldeep added.
