All posts tagged: India Dubai advantage

‘Playing only in Dubai definitely helped us’: Mohammed Shami after India’s Champions Trophy semi-final win | Cricket News

‘Playing only in Dubai definitely helped us’: Mohammed Shami after India’s Champions Trophy semi-final win | Cricket News

Following his team’s Champions Trophy semi-final win over Australia in Dubai on Tuesday, India seamer Mohammed Shami said they benefitted from playing at only one venue in the eight-team tournament. Shami, who opened the campaign with a five-wicket haul against Bangaldesh, was the pick of the bowlers for India in the semi-final against Australia as he snapped three wickets (3/48) in his 10 overs against Steve Smith’s side. While several cricketers from other teams have raised the question of India’s unfair leverage in playing their games only at the UAE venue due to the sour geo-political relations with tournament hosts Pakistan, team India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir had downplayed the critics. The veteran Shami, however, suggested otherwise. “It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch,” Shami said on Tuesday after his pivotal role in beating Australia. Story continues below this ad “It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue,” added Shami with India holding an unbeaten record …

Angry Gautam Gambhir blasts critics on India’s Dubai advantage: ‘Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man, grow up’ | Cricket News

Angry Gautam Gambhir blasts critics on India’s Dubai advantage: ‘Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man, grow up’ | Cricket News

A day after captain Rohit Sharma dismissed any talks of India being at home in Dubai and familiar with the conditions, it was the turn of their head coach Gautam Gambhir to drive home the point even when he was not questioned about it. Speaking shortly after the four-wicket win over Australia, Gambhir was not only assertive but also typically pugnacious with most of the questions put forward. Right through the tournament which Pakistan are hosting, there have been several criticisms directed at the advantage India have gained by playing all their matches in Dubai. Now with India making it to the final, all those talks aren’t going to die down and Gambhir, who seemed bothered about it, weighed in with his thoughts in his own way. “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. If you look at the wickets there and here, …