Morgan and Watson Favor India for CT 2025, Wish for England and Australia to Shine

Navi Mumbai, Feb 19 (NationPress) Although their teams may not have the perfect preparation for the Champions Trophy 2025, both Eoin Morgan and Shane Watson express optimism that England and Australia will perform well, while designating India as the leading contender.

England, now under the guidance of new coach Brandon McCullum, faced significant losses to India in both the T20I and ODI series. Meanwhile, Australia has been impacted by injuries to four key players: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, and Mitchell Starc, alongside Marcus Stoinis' unexpected retirement from the national squad.

Additionally, Australia suffered a 0-2 defeat to Sri Lanka in the ODI series leading up to the Champions Trophy.

Despite these setbacks, Morgan and Watson supported their national teams while acknowledging India as the clear frontrunner, with Pakistan considered a potential dark horse in the eight-team tournament commencing with a match between Pakistan and New Zealand in Karachi.

Morgan, who guided England to their historic victory in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, emphasized India's top status based on their recent impressive performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup held at home, where they reached the final without losing a match, in addition to their triumph in the T20 World Cup across the Caribbean and USA.

"The side that’s the frontrunner, best positioned across the squads, I would say, is India, outright favourites. I can’t really pick any holes in their squad. This has been the case in the last couple of tournaments they’ve entered," Morgan stated.

India and Pakistan, along with Bangladesh and New Zealand, are placed in Group A, while Group B consists of Australia, England, South Africa, and Afghanistan.

Morgan reiterated India’s commanding performance throughout the 2023 ODI World Cup leading to the final and their victory in the T20 World Cup.

"In the T20 World Cup, they snatched the trophy from the South Africans. Winning trophies and celebrating success instills confidence because having experienced it makes you believe you can achieve it again. That’s why India is the favourite," Morgan added.

"As for outsiders, I would never discount Pakistan. The home advantage will benefit them, and I also see England as an outside contender. They haven’t been in great form lately, and with Brendon McCullum recently taking over, achieving success in such a short time is challenging.

"Their first match is against Australia on Saturday, a team missing several stars like Cummins, while Marcus Stoinis has retired. I believe the winner of that matchup will be a strong contender. England could potentially make a strong run, which excites me," Morgan concluded.

For Watson, the most memorable moment from the Champions Trophy was participating in the 2002 edition, where they lost to the host team, Sri Lanka, in the semifinals.

"In this edition, India undoubtedly stands as the favourite. They have been boosted by the inclusion of Hardik Pandya, a fast-bowling all-rounder. Although they lack (Jasprit) Bumrah, their squad closely resembles the one that dominated the last One-day World Cup right up to the final," Watson said.

He expressed strong confidence in the Australian team's prospects.

"I am very optimistic about the Aussies; their batting lineup is exceptionally robust. There are some uncertainties regarding their bowling, but they know how to rise to the occasion in significant tournaments. So, don’t be shocked if Australia is among the top contenders," the former Australian all-rounder remarked.

The Champions Trophy commenced in Karachi on Wednesday, with Pakistan facing New Zealand. India is set to begin their campaign against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on Thursday.