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Former England cricketers Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have raised concerns over the “undeniable advantage” India enjoys in the Champions Trophy 2025, playing all its matches in Dubai while other teams travel between multiple venues.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Podcast, Atherton said, “What about the advantage India has in playing in Dubai, only in Dubai? It seems to me to be a hard-to-quantify advantage, but an undeniable advantage.”
He highlighted how India, unlike other teams, does not have to travel, allowing them to tailor their squad specifically for Dubai’s conditions.
“They’re playing at just one venue. They don’t have to travel either between venues or between countries, as a lot of other teams have to do. That seems to me to be an undeniable advantage,” he added.
Hussain echoed the sentiment, noting that India had structured their squad accordingly.
“They were very smart in their selection. They picked all their spinners, and now we see why,” he said. “Teams like England and Pakistan have only one frontline spinner, which can be a challenge when conditions favor spin.”
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Meanwhile, former England cricketer Jonathan Agnew strongly criticized India’s special treatment, calling it “just not right.” Speaking to ABC Sport, he said, “If you’re going to play international tournaments, you can’t pick and choose where you play and where you’re not going to play.”
Pakistan has been particularly impacted by the scheduling, playing in Karachi, Dubai, and Rawalpindi in the group stage, while India remains stationed in the UAE. Agnew questioned, “How can the home team, hosting its first international tournament for so long, be playing the biggest match of the tournament away from home? It’s not right.”
The broader debate stems from ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, with the two teams only facing each other in ICC tournaments.
Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq criticized the situation, stating, “The [BCCI’s] tantrums just don’t end. Children here [in Pakistan] want to see Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, but their tantrums just don’t end.”
With India’s semi-final and potential final also scheduled in Dubai, questions about fairness in the tournament continue to grow.
