By Kaif - Mar 06, 2025 11:08 AM
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Is Team India really getting the advantage of playing in Dubai in CT 2025?: The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 is being organized in Pakistan. But the Indian cricket team did not visit Pakistan even for the ICC event, due to which India is now playing all its matches in Dubai. Even now the final match of the Champions Trophy will be played between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The Indian cricket team is playing all its matches at the same venue. They do not have to travel from one place to another. In such a situation, some former and current cricketers believe that India is getting an advantage from this. However, Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir does not agree with this at all. There is a lot of controversy about this whole matter. At the same time, now Team India's experienced pacer Mohammed Shami, captain Rohit Sharma have given a statement regarding this whole matter.
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After India's big win over Australia in the semi-finals in Dubai on Tuesday, Mohammed Shami said, 'It has definitely helped us, because we know the condition of the pitch and its behavior. It is a good thing that you are playing all the matches at the same place. The most important thing is to understand the conditions and know how the pitch is playing, because you are playing at the same place and you can know it well.
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Head coach Gautam Gambhir told reporters on Tuesday, "I know, there is a lot of debate about unfair advantage. But what is unfair advantage? First of all, it is as neutral a venue for us as it is for any other team. I don't remember which tournament we last played at this stadium," he told reporters on Tuesday. Gambhir further said, "We have not practised here even for a day. We practised at the ICC Academy. The conditions there and here are 180 degrees different. Some people just keep complaining all the time. So, I think we did not get any unfair advantage.
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Do India really have home advantage in Dubai for the Champions Trophy?: It's not that we know what is going to happen on these pitches. We don't know which pitch will be used in the semi-finals, but whatever it is, we have to adapt and see how it is. And this is not even our home, this is Dubai. We don't play too many matches here, it is new for us as well."
Rohit Sharma further said, "The nature of the surface was the same in the 3 matches our team has played, but the pitch behaved differently in all the matches. Against New Zealand, we saw that when their fast bowlers swung and seamed the ball. In the last two matches, our bowlers were bowling first and then we did not see this. And in the evening, the weather is a bit cold here, so there is a possibility of the ball swinging.
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