Rassie van der Dussen opines on India’s ‘advantage’ of playing matches in Dubai

KARACHI: South Africa’s top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen affirmed that former champions India have an ‘edge’ over the rest of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 teams for playing their matches at one venue, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.

Just months before the commencement of the eight-team tournament, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send its national men’s team to Pakistan, citing the directives of their government.

The BCCI’s refusal drew a stern reaction from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), resulting in a long standoff between the two cricketing bodies.

The dispute eventually culminated with PCB proposing a ‘Fusion Formula’, which states that both teams will play their matches at a neutral venue when India or Pakistan is hosting an event for the next three years.

India, who kicked off their Champions Trophy 2025 with back-to-back victories including against arch-rivals Pakistan, sealed a berth in the semi-finals after New Zealand beat Bangladesh on Monday.

Earlier this week, former England cricketer and renowned commentator Nasser Hussain commented on India’s advantage of playing their Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai.

Now, Rassie van der Dussen has made similar remarks about India’s advantage.

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that the ability to train and play in one place, coupled with the absence of any inter-city or inter-country travel, gives India an edge that they will be under pressure to fully exploit,” van der Dussen said.

“It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage.

“If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practise in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage.”

The right-handed batter, however, noted that it would also add pressure on the Rohit Sharma-led side to bank on the advantage of playing their matches at one venue.

“I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage.

“In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign but they [India] are going to be used to it. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge,” he concluded.