Former England cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have raised concerns over India's perceived advantage in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, as the team plays all its matches in Dubai while other sides shuttle between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The arrangement, which emerged as part of a hybrid model after India declined to travel to Pakistan, has allowed Rohit Sharma’s team to remain in one location throughout the tournament.
Hussain and Atherton argue that this has significantly reduced logistical challenges and travel fatigue for India, giving them an edge over their competitors.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Atherton remarked, "About the advantage India have in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai, which seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage but an undeniable advantage... They are playing at just one venue. They do not have to travel between venues or, you know, between countries as a lot of other teams have to do."
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Hussain echoed the sentiment, stating, "It is an advantage. For the best team in the tournament to have that advantage... I saw a tweet the other day: Pakistan - host nation, India - home advantage. That sort of sums it up, really... They are [India] in one place. They are in one hotel. There is no travel. They are in one dressing room. They know the pitch. They picked for that pitch. When they selected, they were very smart. They probably knew what Dubai was going to be like."
The hybrid model was introduced after India refused to play in Pakistan, the original host nation. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) restructured the schedule, ensuring India played exclusively in Dubai.
This has allowed the team to build its strategy entirely around Dubai’s pitch and weather conditions, unlike teams such as Pakistan, who had to travel for their high-profile clash against India on 23 February. Pakistan eventually suffered a six-wicket defeat in that game.
India has already booked a place in the semi-finals following commanding victories over Bangladesh and Pakistan. Their final group-stage match against New Zealand on 2 March will determine their standings in the knockout phase.
However, the debate over their venue consistency continues to draw criticism, with questions being raised over whether the ICC's scheduling has favoured the tournament’s commercial powerhouse.
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