Champions Trophy 2025: India Has Undeniable Advantage of Playing in One Ground, Feel Former England Captains

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Former England captains Mike Atherton and Nasser Atherton believe the Indian cricket team have an undeniable advantage of playing all their Champions Trophy 2025 matches at the same venue - Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.

The Champions Trophy 2025, orginally slated to be hosted by Pakistan alone, was later changed into hybrid model with some matches being staged in UAE after India's reluctance to travel to their neighbouring country citing security concerns.

India will play all their matches, including the semifinal and the final at the Dubai Internationa Cricket Stadium, where they have already registered wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan to book their last four berth. Rohit Sharma's men will next play New Zealand at the same venue on Sunday (March 2).

Australian skipper Pat Cummins highlighted how India have an advantage compared to other teams competing at the ICC eight-team tournament as the Men in Blue play their games at the same ground.

Echoing the same, Atherton and Hussain also feel it's an advantage for Team India although they are playing in neutral venue. The former England skippers further explained why it's an advantage for India.

"What 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," said Michael Atherton in conversation with Naseer Hussain on Sky Sports Podcast.

"They're playing at just one venue. They don't have to travel either between venues or, you know, between countries, as a lot of other teams have to do. Therefore, the selection, you know, can focus in on the conditions in Dubai.

"And obviously, they'll know where they're playing their semi-final as and when they get through to that. That seems to me to be an undeniable advantage, but, you know, kind of hard to quantify how big an advantage," Atherton added.

Nasser Hussain, who also alluded to the fact, said India have been very smart with their selection, especially picking five spinners in the squad, which really does make sense when playing on tired wickets in Dubai.

"It is an advantage. So, the best team in the tournament have that advantage. And I saw a tweet the other day saying 'Pakistan host nation, India home advantage.' It sums it up really. They are at one place, one hotel, they don't have to travel. They have one dressing room. They know the pitch, they have picked for that pitch," Hussain said.

"They were very smart in their selection. They probably knew what Dubai is going to be like. They picked all their spinners. there was a bit of debate with Indian media saying why don't you have gone for an extra seamer? Why all these spinners? Now we can seen why."

Hussain further explained how other teams have picked squads for majority of their matches being played in Pakistan, but will be forced to use the same combinations even when they travel to Dubai.

"For example the other sides like England if they do get to the semis they have only one spinner, Pakistan have one frontline spinner. You can says that when the injuries came they should have changed that and I have made that argument.

"Other teams will have to pick playing XIs for different conditions in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi and then they have to travel and adjust to those conditions. So it is an advantage but what else could have happened.

"Once India refused to come to Pakistan, what could have happen. You can't have a tournament like this without India-Pakistan. It had to be in Dubai. They sit happily and comfortably there. They know they are going to play six games there and if they will win all those, they will win another global tournament," he said.