‘This is not our home, this is Dubai’ – Rohit Sharma Shuts Down One-Venue Advantage Debate

As India gears up for their semi-final clash against Australia in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, skipper Rohit Sharma has strongly dismissed claims that playing all their matches in Dubai has given the team an unfair advantage.

India has played all their games at the Dubai International Stadium, while other teams have had to travel between Pakistan and Dubai for their fixtures. This arrangement was made due to security concerns, as the Indian government did not permit the team to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.

With critics calling this a home advantage, Rohit firmly refuted the claim in a pre-match press conference, emphasizing that the conditions in Dubai are not familiar to them either.

Rohit Sharma’s Take on the Controversy

🗣️ “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,” Rohit said.

The Indian captain highlighted that multiple pitches are being used at the venue, making it unpredictable for everyone.

🗣️ “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,” he added.

India’s Dominant Run in CT 2025

India has been the only unbeaten team in the group stage, winning all three of their matches. In their most recent game, they defended 250 against New Zealand, securing a 44-run victory.

Now, all eyes are on March 4, when India faces Australia in the first semi-final at the Dubai International Stadium. With a spot in the final on the line, Rohit and his team will be looking to silence critics once again—this time, on the field.