Muttiah Muralitharan Backs India and Pakistan as Favourites for ICC Champions Trophy

Sri Lankan legend expects spinners to play a crucial role in the tournament

Mumbai, February 11: Legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has picked India and Pakistan as the top contenders for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, citing Pakistan’s home advantage and India’s dominance in subcontinent-like conditions.

With the Champions Trophy returning after more than seven years, cricket fans are eagerly awaiting the competition, set to begin on February 19. The top eight ODI teams—India, Pakistan, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh—will battle for the prestigious title.

Muralitharan: “India and Pakistan Are Favourites”

Muralitharan stated that while predicting a winner is never certain, he believes India and Pakistan are well-positioned to go deep in the tournament.

“There are favourites, but you can’t be assured that a particular team will win. India and Pakistan will be favourites—Pakistan because of home conditions, and India is also a top team in these conditions,” Muralitharan said.

India recently bounced back from an ODI series loss in Sri Lanka by securing dominant back-to-back victories over England at home. Meanwhile, Pakistan has been impressive in ODIs with series wins in Zimbabwe, Australia, and South Africa. However, their recent struggles on home turf, including a 78-run loss to New Zealand in Lahore, have raised concerns.

Spinners Will Thrive in Champions Trophy

The 2025 Champions Trophy will be played across Pakistan and Dubai, both known for their flat pitches. However, Muralitharan expects spinners to play a decisive role.

“Rashid (Khan) is good, and there is (Ravindra) Jadeja. You have a lot of spinners coming through in world cricket, so they will do really well in this tournament because I think the wickets will help the spinners,” he added.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli: Key Players to Watch

One of the major talking points leading into the tournament will be the performance of India’s two stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. While Rohit ended his run drought with a spectacular century against England in Cuttack, Virat Kohli has struggled to find form in recent months.

Muralitharan remains confident that both stars will regain their rhythm in the Champions Trophy.

“I always say form is temporary and class is permanent. They are great players, and they will come to form,” he said.

India’s Star Duo Struggled in Test Cricket

The 2024-25 Test season has been one to forget for Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli:

• Rohit: 164 runs in 8 matches (Avg: 10.93, HS: 52)
• Virat: 382 runs in 10 matches (Avg: 22.87, HS: 100*)

Virat also ended 2024 with just 655 international runs in 23 matches at an average of 21.83, raising concerns over his form heading into the Champions Trophy.

With the marquee tournament approaching, the performances of Rohit, Virat, and India’s spin attack will be key in determining whether Muralitharan’s prediction of India and Pakistan being favourites holds true.