South Africa veteran cricketer Rassie van der Dussen believes that Rohit Sharma-led India has the advantage of playing all their matches in Dubai but the side will be under pressure to do well in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Team India are playing all their matches in Dubai.
After a deal between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Rohit Sharma-led India are allowed to play their matches in Dubai. Team India, placed in Group A, have qualified for the semifinal of the mega event. Group B qualification scenario got a bit complex after a league match between Australia and South Africa washed out due to rain.
“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the ability to train and play in one place, coupled with the absence of any inter-city or inter-country travel, gives India an edge that they will be under pressure to fully exploit,” Rassie van der Dussen told ESPNCricinfo.
“I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage.
“In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign but they [India] are going to be used to it.
“The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.”
Recently former England captains Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton, and Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed has suggested that India had the upper hand from the outset.
“See, they are in Dubai for a reason,” Aaqib said.
South Africa who are placed in Group B alongside Afghanistan, England and Australia yet to qualify their berth for the semifinal. Proteas won their first group stage clash against Afghanistan and their second clash against Australia was washed out. The side will now face England who are already out of the contention to cement their place for the top four.