India captain Rohit Sharma believes that the pitches in Dubai have been difficult for batsmen, and bowlers have also needed to adapt their strategies.
Of the remaining teams in the Champions Trophy 2025, Australia has played at three of the four venues, while New Zealand has experienced all four. South Africa, despite not playing in Dubai previously, traveled there as a potential preparation for a semi-final against India that did not happen, and are now heading back to Lahore. It’s worth noting that South Africa hasn’t complained about this travel and were reportedly looking forward to playing golf in Dubai.
Meanwhile, India has remained in one location. They are set to play their fourth match in Dubai within two weeks on Tuesday – a semi-final against Australia. Despite the minimal travel and the advantage of playing three matches in Dubai, Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, doesn’t think they have a significant advantage at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
“It’s not as if we have inside knowledge of how these pitches will behave,” Rohit stated before the semi-final match against Australia. “We are unsure about the specific pitch for the semi-final, but we will need to adjust accordingly. Dubai is not our home ground; we don’t often play here, so it’s a new experience for us as well.”
Rohit mentioned that India has played on two different strips in Dubai so far, using the same pitch for their match against New Zealand as they did previously against Bangladesh. The semi-final surface is expected to be the same one used for the Pakistan game. There’s been a perception among other teams that this schedule, influenced by India’s economic and geopolitical standing, might give India an edge. However, Rohit pointed out that conditions in Dubai have varied.
“Across the three matches we’ve played, the pitch nature was similar, but it behaved differently in each game,” he explained. “In the match against New Zealand, we observed their pacers getting swing and seam movement, which wasn’t evident in the first two matches when our bowlers bowled first. Also, in the evening, the slightly cooler temperature increases the chances of swing.”
“We also recognize that each wicket can play differently. They might look alike, but performance-wise, they vary. This means pitches pose different challenges, requiring batsmen to reconsider shot selection and bowlers to make necessary adjustments.”
India will compete against Australia in the semi-final, having finished at the top of Group A. Australia advanced with two no-result matches and a victory against England in their opening game. In their last two major knockout encounters, Australia emerged victorious, winning both the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final in 2023.
“They are a formidable team to face,” Rohit acknowledged. “Our focus remains on applying the strategies we’ve used in the past three games. We need to approach this game with the same mindset. We know our opponents and their playing style.”
“Australia has historically been a strong team, so we anticipate a strong contest and moments of pressure. It’s a semi-final, and both teams will feel the pressure to win.”
