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'This Is Not Our Home,' Rohit Sharma Rubbishes Dubai Advantage Claims Before Semifinal

Aakash Saini

Rohit Sharma-led India has been unbeaten in CT [Source: AP]Rohit Sharma-led India has been unbeaten in CT [Source: AP]

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has dismissed claims about his team enjoying a home advantage at the Dubai International Stadium for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Several former cricketers, including English experts like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have alleged that the scheduling of the tournament is designed in India’s favour.

Rohit Sharma rejects ‘home advantage’ claims

Indian captain Rohit Sharma has rubbished claims about Team India having a sense of ‘home advantage’ by playing all their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy matches at a single venue, the Dubai International Stadium. 

While speaking at a press conference ahead of India’s semifinal clash against Australia, Sharma stated that the Dubai-based venue is not India’s home ground, and the stadium has four to five playing surfaces.

The legendary Indian opener added that each surface used in Dubai is distinct from each other, and the Indian team is not supposed to know which pitch will be used in the semifinal against Australia. He said:

“Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. The three matches that we played here, the pitch has behaved differently. This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don't play so many matches here, and this is new for us too.”

“There are four or five surfaces that are being used here. See, I don't know which pitch is going to be played in the semifinals. But whatever happens, we will have to adapt and see what is happening and what is not. And we will play on that.”

Reason Behind Home Advantage Talks Amid India's Dominance

It is worth noting that the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was originally scheduled to be hosted in its entirety by Pakistan. However, the BCCI refused to send the Indian cricket team citing security concerns, prompting the ICC and the PCB to co-host the tournament with Dubai for India’s matches.

Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, Team India topped the Group A points table of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy by defeating Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand with emphatic margins.

The Indian team will now face Group B runners-up Australia in Dubai in the first semifinal on Tuesday, March 4.