Mohammed Shami goes against Rohit and Gambhir, says India benefits from playing in Dubai
Mohammed Shami believes playing all matches in Dubai has helped India, contradicting Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, who dismissed claims of any advantage.
The debate over India’s advantage in the Champions Trophy 2025 has taken a new turn. While Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir dismissed claims that India benefits from playing all their matches at one venue, fast bowler Mohammed Shami has a different opinion.
Mohammed Shami believes India has an edge
After India’s semifinal win over Australia in Dubai, Shami admitted that playing all matches at the same venue has helped the team. He said that knowing the conditions and pitch behavior gives India an advantage.
“It has definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behavior of the pitch. It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue. The main thing is to gauge the conditions and know how the pitch behaves because you are playing at one venue and you can get to know it well,” Shami said.
Shami has been India’s top wicket-taker in the tournament so far, taking eight wickets in four matches.
Why critics believe India has an advantage
Some experts argue that India benefits from playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The pitch in Dubai favors spin bowling, which suits India’s playing style. Additionally, unlike other teams, India does not have to travel between venues, reducing fatigue and helping them stay fresh.
According to the Hybrid Model, India’s matches, including the semifinal and the upcoming final, are being played in Dubai. Meanwhile, the other teams have had to play matches across three different venues in Pakistan.
Some experts argue that India benefits from playing all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The pitch in Dubai favors spin bowling, which suits India’s playing style. Additionally, unlike other teams, India does not have to travel between venues, reducing fatigue and helping them stay fresh.
According to the Hybrid Model, India’s matches, including the semifinal and the upcoming final, are being played in Dubai. Meanwhile, the other teams have had to play matches across three different venues in Pakistan.
Gautam Gambhir rejects the claims
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir strongly denied that India has any advantage. He called such claims baseless and said that Dubai is a neutral venue for all teams.
“I know, there’s a lot of debate about the undue advantage. But what is an undue advantage? First of all, this is as much of a neutral venue for us as it is for any other team. I don’t remember which tournament we played in this stadium last time,” Gambhir said.
He also added that the Indian team never practiced at the Dubai International Stadium before the tournament. Instead, they trained at the ICC Academy, where conditions are completely different.
“Some people are just perpetual cribbers. So, I feel we didn’t have any undue advantage,” he stated.
With different opinions from Shami and Gambhir, the debate continues. However, India is now focusing on the final, where they will aim to lift the Champions Trophy once again.
