Team India skipper Rohit Sharma has strongly denied that the Men in Blue have any advantage by playing in Dubai in Champions Trophy, unlike several claims by former cricketers. The 37-year-old revealed that at least four or five surfaces are being used for matches and it is unpredictable for all the teams.
The likes of Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have been vocal in stating how India don't have to travel to play their matches, unlike other teams. Most recently, South Africa and Australia came to Dubai early on, given they didn't know about their semi-final opponents until the end of Sunday. While Australia stayed back in Dubai, the Proteas had to catch a flight to Lahore immediately to play in the second semi-final.
"I don’t know which pitch is going to be played in the semifinals" - Rohit Sharma
Speaking to the media ahead of the semi-final on Tuesday, Rohit stated that this is uncharted territory for Team India as well and that this is not India to have a home advantage.
"Jo 3 matches hamne khele hain. Usme surfaces ka nature same tha but pitch alag tareeke se behave kiya hai. Aaj humne dekha unke seamers jab ball daal rahe they, ball seam aur swing ho raha tha, jo humne 2 game mein nahin dekha tha. Shaam mein thodi si thand hai, toh swing hone ka kaafi chance hai. Yahan 4-5 surfaces hain jo use ho rahe hain. Hume bhi nahin pata, kaunsa wicket kaisa khelega. Dikhne mein pitches ek jaise hai par vahan jaakar khelo toh alag tareeke se aata hai."
(Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. The three matches that we played here, the pitch has behaved differently. This is not our home, this is Dubai. We don’t play so many matches here, and this is new for us too.)
"Semi-final mein pata nahin kaunsa pitch hone waala hai. But jo bhi hoga humko adapt karna padega, kya ho raha hai, kya nahin. Humaara ghar nahin hai, Dubai hai. Hum bhi yahan itne matches nahin khelte, hamaare liye bhi naya hai."
(There are four or five surfaces that are being used here. See, I don’t know which pitch is going to be played in the semifinals. But whatever happens, we will have to adapt and see what is happening and what is not. And we will play on that.)
