Champions Trophy 2025: India vs Australia, Semifinal 1 - Top 3 player battles to watch out for

1. Kuldeep Yadav vs Glenn Maxwell

Any cricketing face-off becomes all the more riveting with the involvement of a wrist-spinner and an explosive batter. The India-Australia rivalry serves up exactly that with Kuldeep Yadav and Glenn Maxwell being a matchup to be eager about. Kuldeep always seems to have a hidden trick up his sleeve. The subtle variations he unleahes every now and then make him a potent threat at any stage of the game. The power-packed Maxwell needs no introduction. On his day, everyone knows how lethal he can be.    

The wily left-armer has gotten rid of Maxwell thrice when it comes to ODIs between the two cricketing nations. Meanwhile, Maxwell has accumulated 99 runs in the 69 deliveries faced. While it may seem that Maxwell holds the upper hand against Kuldeep, Dubai's conditions might make it a little challenging for Maxwell to score as freely as he has against the southpaw in the past. Their tussle against each other during the middle phase is all set to be a gripping one.