India’s ‘Home-Like’ Advantage in Champions Trophy: England Legends Weigh In
Dubai: As Team India continues its strong run in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, former England cricketers Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain have pointed out what they believe is an “undeniable advantage” for Rohit Sharma’s men. Though Pakistan is officially the host nation, all of India’s matches are being played in Dubai, unlike other teams that have to travel between multiple venues across Pakistan.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast, Atherton noted, “India playing all their matches in Dubai, without the need to travel, is a significant advantage, even if it’s difficult to quantify. They know the pitch, the conditions, and can plan their team selection accordingly.”
Hussain echoed the sentiment, highlighting how India’s decision to rely on spinners has worked in their favor. “They’ve picked their squad with Dubai’s conditions in mind, while other teams have to adjust to different surfaces in Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. That consistency is a real advantage.”
He further added that once India decided not to play in Pakistan, Dubai became the only viable option. “You can’t have a tournament like this without an India-Pakistan clash. The decision to hold India’s matches in Dubai was inevitable.”
While India enjoys the comfort of playing in one venue, other teams are adapting to varying conditions, making the road to the trophy more challenging for them. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Team India to see if this advantage translates into another global title.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
