Delhi: It is a strange coincidence that the story of playing their matches in Dubai in Team India’s Champions Trophy is not ending. The final schedule of the tournament was made and it was decided that India’s team would play their matches in Dubai and it was felt that this issue was over, but now the foreign media is making the name of the wrong ‘home advantage’ given to India, making noise. So the question is whether the hybrid model playing in Dubai, India has actually become a ‘home advantage’ for India?
It happened that no one spoke about this before the start of the tournament, when India won both their first matches and became a guarantee, while the favorite and big teams like England and Pakistan were out in the group round. Two former England captains Nasir Hussain and Michael Atherton clearly wrote in their columns that India is getting a big benefit of playing in the same ground. They are taking advantage of playing wickets and weather in the same place for a match in another ground, running around, in the same place. It seems that both these experts are saddened by their team’s bad game and more than defeat in the first match, both of India’s impressive win in the first match. England did not even have to play any match in Dubai in the group round, even then they are writing clearly that the host is Pakistan but the Home Advantage took India to India.
Now look at the same question with the fact and find the answer to the question whether to actually play in Dubai not only India’s first two groups match, the biggest reason for India’s favorite tag in the next matches? There is no doubt that if India already knew that not only the three groups match, knock out round matches also play in Dubai, then it is advantage. Now take the semi -finals, then whichever team will play in the semi -finals from India, it will be the first match of that team in Dubai while India’s fourth. India’s team is staying in the same hotel from the first day and the stadium from the hotel in the name of travel. Other teams’ matches 3/4 in the city, the new hotel in every city i.e. packing-un packing and fatigue of road and air travel on it.
Initially, no one noticed this fact that India had to choose the right attack only for the Dubai pitch and this is not a minor benefit. Now this fact is also proved by the names of players in the selected India team. Team India’s selectors knew what the mood of the Dubai pitch would be like and that is why not lure an extra fast bowler, selected 5 spinners. The playing XI chose Spin all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar Patel along with Kuldeep Yadav while Varun Chakraborty and Washington are beautiful back-ups.
The ICC planners made a big mistake to reduce the effect of all these factor. Instead of playing all three group matches in India, one group match could plan in Abu Dhabi (or one match in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah). Even then, everyone would say that India would still reach the semi -finals as both Bangladesh and Pakistan were nowhere to be on the match.
Those who are saying that Dubai pitches are coming to India, then, in fact, the better game of the team is responsible, not just the mood of the pitch. The pitch on which the pitch has played in Dubai so far is completely different from the pitch on which ODIs play. Pitch in India is far better for batting. The truth is that the Indian batsmen would choose Lahore or Rawalpindi compared to Dubai. As big scores are being made in Pakistan, not on a slow pitch in Dubai. In Dubai, India defeated Pakistan due to its better cricket, not because of playing in Dubai. Now even it cannot be said that Team India does not support India.
In contrast, slow pitch (as is in Dubai) proves to be a disadvantage. This was what happened in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. It was then said that Australia would suffer losses but actually India was in loss. Pat Cummins’ team took advantage of the pitch more. Okay, now the same will happen on the slow pitch of Dubai, it will not be right to say.
Yes, it would have to be believed that the best would have been that India’s team would play in Pakistan so that such allegations would not seem. Nevertheless, there is a difference between being a favorite and winning and in the match the same team will win the match on the day of the match. Playing in Dubai just, no guarantee of victory.
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(Tagstotranslate) ICC champions trophy 2025 (T) ICC CT 2025 (T) Indian National Cricket Team