After former England captains questioned India playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai, more cricketers have now joined the chorus. Rassie van der Dussen, Jos Buttler and Aaqib Javed are latest to point fingers at the Indian cricket team.
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More star cricketers have joined the chorus, criticising the Indian cricket team for gaining an advantage by playing all their Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai. Earlier, former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, along with veteran journalists, stated that
Team India was enjoying an “undeniable advantage” after refusing to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
So far, India have won both their matches in Group A,
qualifying for the semi-finals, which will also be played in Dubai. If India qualifiy for the summit clash, the Champions Trophy 2025 final will also take place in Dubai.
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The latest to point out India’s Dubai advantage is South African batter Rassie van der Dussen.
Rassie van der Dussen Points out India’s ‘advantage’
The 36-year-old said that India have been handed an advantage with the privilege of playing all their matches in one venue and staying in one hotel.
“It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage. If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practise in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” van der Dussen was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Van der Dussen added that the venue advantage also adds more pressure on Team India to make full use of it.
“I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage,” van der Dussen added.
“In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign but they are going to be used to it. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.”
Earlier, England captain Jos Buttler had also highlighted the edge India are enjoying in a pre-match press conference before the match against Afghanistan.
“Not really. I think it’s a unique tournament already, isn’t it, with being hosted here with one team playing in a different place but that’s not something I’m sort of worried too much about at the moment,” Buttler said.
England have since gone on to lose the match against Afghanistan, getting knocked out of the Champions Trophy 2025. Their last match is against South Africa as they will look to spoil Proteas’ party.
Pakistan join chorus against Team India
Pakistan interim head coach Aaqib Javed also shared similar views while dissecting his team’s six-wicket loss to India, which eventually led to their elimination. The former pacer acknowledged the advantage India are enjoying but added that
his team’s loss was not a result of the scheduling.
“See, they are in Dubai for a reason. They are playing only in Dubai because of a specific reason. Definitely, playing in one ground, staying in one hotel is an advantage. But we didn’t lose because of that. It was not like they played 10 matches before we came there,” Aaqib Javed said.
The clamour against Team India is not only set to rise if they reach the final or win the Champions Trophy 2025. Their semi-final will be played on 4 March, however, the opponent is still not decided with
three teams still vying for two last four spots in Group B.
Before the semi-final, India take on New Zealand at Dubai in their last Group A match on Sunday (2 March).