Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra admitted that Rohit Sharma’s team has a slight advantage of playing all of their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai. While the other teams are playing their respective matches in three different venues – Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi and would also need to travel to Dubai to play against India, the Men in Blue have had a better chance in acclimatizing to one venue’s conditions.
India has won their first two matches against Bangladesh and Pakistan and have qualified for the semifinals. Rohit Sharma’s team was able to chase down 229 against the Tigers whereas they successfully chased down the target of 242 against the arch-rivals.
Meanwhile, so far Pakistan pitches have been good for the batters whereas Dubai’s wicket has some help for the bowlers too.
“It’s a good question. There is an advantage for sure. There is no shame in admitting the truth. There is a slight problem for the other teams as they are playing in three different venues, Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore, and they have to come to Dubai at times,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“India are playing on just one ground. They have understood that pitch very well. We cannot get the pitch prepared, it’s not the home team’s ground, but we are benefitting. This is not something we can hide. There is no doubt that India have a slight advantage,” he observed.
The renowned commentator also opened up on the reason why the ICC decides to put India and Pakistan in the same group in the major events.
“There will be riots if FIFA puts Argentina and Brazil in the same group repeatedly. However, the truth is that the ICC puts India and Pakistan in the same group in every ICC tournament. They do that so that there is a guaranteed match because if Pakistan don’t reach the latter stages, even if India does, the one game that the broadcasters can monetize a lot won’t happen.”
“You are deciding commercially who needs to play more against whom, but commercials make the world go round. India-Pakistan are one-sided games but they get sold. Everyone watches and the ticket prices are very high. The whole economy works,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on 2nd March.
