New Delhi: The Champions Trophy 2025 Final between India and New Zealand is being played today in Dubai. Notably, Team India has played all its matches at the same venue throughout the tournament. Many former cricketers have pointed out that this scheduling has given India an advantage, as other teams had to travel between multiple locations.
Former Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan has reignited the debate ahead of the final. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, he shared statistics highlighting how teams like New Zealand and South Africa had to travel significantly more than India.
Junaid Khan wrote:
New Zealand traveled 7,150 km
South Africa traveled 3,286 km
India had zero travel
He argued that the tournament schedule played a major role in India’s success.
Ravichandran Ashwin Responds to the Criticism
Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin addressed the controversy on his YouTube channel. He dismissed the claims that India’s success was due to playing in a single stadium. Ashwin pointed out that in Champions Trophy 2009, South Africa played all their matches at one venue but still failed to qualify for the knockout stage.
He emphasized that India’s performance in the tournament was due to their excellent gameplay, not just the venue advantage. Ashwin defended Rohit Sharma and his team, stating that they deserved to be in the final.
Is India’s Scheduling an Unfair Advantage?
The debate continues as fans and analysts discuss whether playing in one stadium truly benefits a team or if it’s just an excuse for others. What do you think? Does India’s unbeaten run in the Champions Trophy 2025 prove their dominance, or was the schedule a factor in their success?