"Our record scores would have been very good" - Former India batter's huge take on team after criticism of unfair advantage in 2025 Champions Trophy
Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa rejected the notion of Rohit Sharma's Men having a significant advantage playing all their 2025 Champions Trophy matches in Dubai. After India's refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, it was agreed that the side would play all their games in Dubai, while the other seven participating teams would play in venues around Pakistan and Dubai (only against India).
However, with the Men in Blue winning their opening two games of the competition, the noise around the side having a sizeable advantage compared to the other teams has increased. Several former and current players have called out India for being in an advantageous situation due to the lack of travel and playing in similar conditions throughout.
Talking about the same to the PTI, Uthappa dismissed the thought of India carrying an advantage, saying:
"But why didn't we go to Pakistan? These are geopolitical reasons. And every country has a right. If they don't want to go, then they shouldn't go. And if a team has to play in a venue because of that, then they have to play. We could have complained that if we had played in Pakistan, our record scores would have been very good." (quoted by Hindustan Times)
He added:
"Every batsman gets an opportunity to make a run. This is a matter of speaking. At the end of the day, a match is between a bat and a ball. And I believe that the team that plays well on that day will win."
India won both their matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan in Dubai to clinch a semifinal berth for a third consecutive time in the Champions Trophy. They will look to win a record third Champions Trophy title, having triumphed in 2002 and 2013.
"There is definitely a familiarity advantage" - Robin Uthappa
Robin Uthappa acknowledged that India being familiar with the conditions at Dubai is an advantage for them ahead of their clash against New Zealand on March 2.
The two teams have never met in the Champions Trophy since the Kiwis stopped India's magical run in the final of the 2000 edition to be crowned champions.
"I won't call it a home advantage, but there is definitely a familiarity advantage. I was listening to an interview yesterday. If I am not mistaken, Wasim Jaffer was saying that if he was going to play in Dubai, he could have played one match in Dubai, one match in Abu Dhabi and one match in Sharjah. They could have definitely done that. So that other teams don't have to complain about this situation," said Uthappa.
Both India and New Zealand have already qualified for the semifinal and the winner will finish on top of Group A.