'Dubai not our home': Rohit Sharma on home advantage criticism
What's the story
India's cricket captain, Rohit Sharma, has rubbished allegations that his team's success in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy stems from an unfair advantage of playing all matches at the same venue. The Indian team made it to the semi-final after defeating Bangladesh, Pakistan, and New Zealand in their Group A matches. Detractors have argued that India's hybrid model arrangement provides India an undue edge over other teams.
Pitch dynamics
Rohit addresses pitch and conditions
Addressing the media in Dubai, Rohit said that the pitches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium have presented unique challenges in every match. "The nature of the surface remained the same, but the pitches behaved differently in each game," he said. He made this statement just before India's semi-final clash with Australia on Tuesday.
Critique response
Criticism from former cricketers
Rohit also addressed criticisms from former England players Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton, who said that India enjoy an "undeniable advantage" by playing all their games in Dubai without traveling. A number of ex-Pakistan cricketers also accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of favoritism. "In the semi-final, we don't know which pitch is going to be played... This is not our home, this is Dubai," he said.
Adaptability
Rohit emphasizes adaptability in cricket
Rohit stressed on his team to adjust quickly to different pitch conditions. "Every surface has a different nature. We don't know which wicket will be played... So, we have to think about whether it's necessary to play these shots or not," he said. The Indian sipper also pointed out that conditions are different across matches.
Past performance
India's performance in Dubai
India's history in Dubai has been a mixed bag. They triumphed at the 2018 Asia Cup under Rohit's captaincy but faltered in the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup, losing to Pakistan and New Zealand. This further highlights that Dubai isn't a venue where India play many matches, reiterating Rohit's point about the unique challenges each pitch poses.
Bowler-friendly pitches
Importance of bowler-friendly pitches
Rohit also said that he prefers a pitch that gives some assistance to bowlers, as it makes the contest more exciting. "If there is something in it for the bowlers as well, that makes it very interesting," he said. This just goes on to show how much he believes in balanced pitch conditions for an engaging match.
Strategy insight
Rohit explains India's spin ploy
Justifying the inclusion of five spinners in India's roster for the Champions Trophy, Rohit said they had some idea about the pitch and conditions in Dubai after following the ILT20 closely. "Looking at the surface here... we somehow kind of knew that surfaces are going to be slow," he said. The strategic move has worked in India's favor in their matches so far.