New Delhi, 22 February (HS): With the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, former Australian captain and Laureus Academy member Steve Waugh shared his views on the title contenders of the tournament. He described India as a strong contender, looking at the good start of India, New Zealand and South Africa.

Waugh said in an official statement, India looks strong in these conditions. New Zealand also has a balanced team. Australia cannot be underestimated, they are always competitive. England and Pakistan can also prove to be dangerous.

Regarding the much-awaited match between India and Pakistan on 23 February in the tournament, Waugh said, The match between India and Pakistan is not just cricket, but much more than that. India may be the favorite but one-day cricket is quite unpredictable. Any player can turn the match on his own.

He described Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli as India's strong link, while on Pakistan's instability, he said, Pakistan has been performing erratically in the last 12 months. They can play brilliantly, but it remains to be seen what strategy they adopt this time.

Waugh also talked about the prospects of the Australian team. He said that the absence of fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood would be a big challenge for the team. Describing Spencer Johnson and Sean Abbott as good options, he said that this would be an opportunity for other bowlers to prove themselves.

He said, Experienced players like Adam Zampa and Steve Smith will give stability to the team, but it remains to be seen how the team performs in the absence of these big players.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar