Hyderabad: Indian batters are missing out by not playing in Pakistan, according to former captain Sourav Ganguly. Speaking at the Tata Steel Trailblazers sports conclave, Ganguly noted that playing all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai doesn’t give India any undue advantage.
Experts believe that India has an edge by playing at just one venue, while other teams travel across multiple cities in Pakistan and might even play in Dubai for their matches against India. Since India is familiar with the pitches and conditions in Dubai, they’ve chosen five spinners for their squad, tailored to perform well on a single ground. Other teams, meanwhile, have to adjust to different venues.
Ganguly emphasized that the reason India doesn’t play in Pakistan is due to government restrictions, not because of decisions made by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the players themselves. He pointed out that players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill are missing out on pitches where other teams are frequently scoring 350 runs.
Looking ahead to the final against New Zealand, Ganguly acknowledged that New Zealand poses a tough challenge. He praised their batting and spin bowling but believes India has a stronger lineup in both departments. While India is favored to win, Ganguly reminded everyone that anything can happen in a final.
He also highlighted India’s impressive run in white-ball cricket, reaching the finals of three major ICC events: the 2023 50-over World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the ongoing Champions Trophy. He noted that such an achievement is rare for any team. However, he mentioned that India needs to improve in red-ball cricket, a focus area for Rohit Sharma’s team.
India will face New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final at Dubai Cricket Stadium on March 9. This match will serve as a rematch of the 2000 Champions Trophy final, where New Zealand emerged victorious.
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SOURAV GANGULY, CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL, INDIA VS NEW ZEALAND CT FINAL, IND VS NZ CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL, CHAMPIONS TROPHY FINAL 2025, SOURAV GANGULY SAID INDIA PLAYING ONLY IN DUBAI IS NOT AN UNDUE ADVANTAGE AGAINST NEW ZEALAND
