Contradictory views on 'Dubai advantage' by Gambhir and Shami draw parallels to 'Mahabharat': 'Optimism with Krishna on your side'

India continued their spectacular run in the Champions Trophy 2025 by securing a spot in the final with a magnificent four-wicket triumph over Australia in the semi-final. Mohammed Shami's impressive bowling figures of 3/48 and Virat Kohli's stellar 84-run innings were the standout performances that led the Men in Blue to victory at the Dubai International Stadium, further solidifying their dominance in the tournament.

However, India’s success at a single venue has reignited the debate over whether playing all their matches in Dubai has given them an undue advantage. While veteran pacer Shami acknowledged the benefits of familiarity with the conditions, head coach Gautam Gambhir outright dismissed the notion, leading to a difference in opinion within the camp.

“It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch,” Shami said, as quoted by AFP. “It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue.”

Gambhir, however, took a contrasting stance when addressing the media.

“There’s a lot of debate about the undue advantage and all that. What undue advantage? We haven’t practiced here even for a day. We’re practicing at the ICC Academy. And the conditions there and here are 180 degrees different,” Gambhir said.

“If you look at the wickets there and here, the difference is between the ground and the sky. Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man. They’ve got to grow up. So, I feel that there was nothing like we had any undue advantage or we had planned something like that.”

Aakash Chopra reacts

Amid these conflicting statements, former India batter Aakash Chopra weighed in on the debate. Reacting to both Shami and Gambhir’s comments, Chopra acknowledged that while playing all matches at one venue does not provide a game-breaking advantage, it does allow teams to adapt better to conditions.

“Mohammed Shami is saying that they have an advantage of playing in Dubai. Gautam Gambhir is saying, ‘What advantage, you just keep cribbing in life, look ahead.’ However, who is saying the right thing? Is there an actual advantage or not? We are playing all our matches in Dubai,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra dissected the debate from two angles, pointing out that while constant travel between Pakistan and UAE can add to fatigue, it is not the defining factor in winning or losing games.

“There are two aspects to it. One is the problem because of travel. Is it a problem? I won’t say that you lose only because you have had to travel more. I am not denying that there is fatigue, but it’s not make or break. You are playing international cricket,” he said.

Chopra further emphasised that the real advantage comes from understanding the pitch and conditions, which helps in team selection.

“Being at one place is not much of an advantage, but there is an advantage because of the conditions. These conditions are suiting you. You can choose your 11 or 15 according to that. Mahabharat taught us one thing. If Krishna is on your side, that’s it, it’s over. The right selection is extremely important.”

ICC Champions Trophy , ICC Champions Trophy Schedule , and Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, match previews, and in-depth coverage of ICC CT 2025, IPL 2025 Schedule and IPL 2025, all on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news along with India vs New Zealand Live Score. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }