Rassie van der Dussen Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen feels that India have an advantage over other teams at the Champions Trophy by playing all their games in Dubai instead of Pakistan. Photo: AFP
Image: AFP
Seven teams are currently locking horns in the ICC Champions Trophy, while India play a home series based out of Dubai. To players and pundits, India’s ‘home field’ advantage is undeniable and unfair.
But that home-team advantage may just be the lynchpin that ends their chances of lifting the trophy, Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen said on Thursday.
Van der Dussen was reacting to whether or not India have an unfair advantage during the tournament playing at one stadium, while the rest of the field have to travel between Pakistan and Dubai.
India have acclimated themselves, trained and played all their games at the Dubai Cricket Stadium after refusing to enter Pakistan over political and security reasons.
The two countries had to make a deal, which also includes Pakistan playing at a neutral venue in any ICC tournament hosted by India until 2027.
The newly elected chairman of the Dubai-based ICC is Jay Shah, the former chairman of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“I think it's definitely an advantage. If you can stay in one place, in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium on the same pitch every time, it's definitely an advantage. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that.
“The oneness would be on them to utilise that advantage. I suppose in a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever will play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there, And if the conditions are foreign and India are used to it, then the pressure will be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge,” Van der Dussen said.
The Proteas square off against England in their next bout on Saturday in Karachi, and if they win, will stay on top of Group B, meaning they play whoever finishes second in Group A.
Both New Zealand and India have played two and won two so far, and face each other on Sunday in a Group A decider.
Whether or not India lose against the Kiwis, they will play the Proteas in Dubai again, indicating their advantage even when going into the depth stages of the tournament.
Cricket broadcaster and former England cricketer Jonathan Agnew told ABC Sport he felt “uncomfortable” with the way India were currently being treated.
“This is wrong. If you're going to play an international tournament, you can't pick and choose where you play and where you're not going to play,” Agnew was quoted as saying.