Although Pakistan is officially hosting the Champions Trophy, India holds a major “home advantage” by playing all its matches at a neutral venue in Dubai, former England captain Nasser Hussain has pointed out.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast alongside fellow former England captain Michael Atherton, Hussain discussed how India’s fixed location benefits the team, reducing travel demands and allowing them to adapt perfectly to the playing conditions.
Atherton raised the issue, stating: “What about the advantage India has in playing exclusively in Dubai? It seems difficult to quantify, but it’s undeniably an advantage.”
Hussain agreed, saying: “It is an advantage. The best team in the tournament has that edge. I saw a tweet the other day that summed it up well: ‘Pakistan is the host nation, but India has the home advantage.’”
He elaborated further, highlighting India’s logistical stability: “They stay in the same hotel, use the same dressing room, and know the pitch conditions inside out. Their squad has been selected with that surface in mind.”
In contrast, teams like England and Pakistan face greater challenges, having to adjust to different conditions across multiple venues. “England, for example, initially had only one specialist spinner before adding Rehan Ahmed as a late replacement. Pakistan also has just one frontline spinner. Other teams must constantly adapt their playing XIs for different conditions in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Dubai, while India remains in one place,” Hussain noted.
While acknowledging the imbalance, he also questioned what alternative solutions could have been implemented. “Once India refused to travel to Pakistan, what could have been done? A tournament like this without an India-Pakistan fixture was never an option. Hosting it in Dubai became the only viable solution.”
Australian captain Pat Cummins echoed similar sentiments in an interview with Yahoo Australia, acknowledging India’s advantage. “I think it’s good that the tournament can proceed, but obviously it gives India a huge edge. They already look very strong, and playing all their games at the same venue only adds to that advantage,” Cummins remarked.
