KARACHI: South Africa top-order batter Rassie van der Dussen made a bold statement about India playing all of their ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches at one venue in Dubai.
A few months before the eight-team tournament was set to begin, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to send its national men’s team to Pakistan, referencing orders from their government.
The BCCI’s decision to decline sparked a strong response from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), resulting in a lengthy standoff between the two cricketing organizations.
The dispute eventually culminated in the PCB proposing a ‘Fusion Formula’, which states that both teams will play their matches at a neutral venue when India or Pakistan host an event over the next three years.
As a result, India will play all their tournament matches at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
A few days earlier, former England cricketer and commentator Naseer Hussain also raised his voice about Team India’s advantage of playing at one venue.
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Now, Van der Dussen has also echoed similar views ahead of their clash against England.
“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,” he said.
“It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage.”
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The Proteas batter further highlighted the benefit of playing in the same stadium and on the same pitches.
“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,” he observed.
However, the 36-year-old batter emphasized that the Indian team will face pressure due to their one venue advantage.
“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.
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