India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has responded to discussions about his team supposedly having an unfair advantage in the Champions Trophy.
It’s almost inevitable that everything involving India, whether positive or negative, receives heightened attention. Throughout this Champions Trophy, the notion of India’s alleged advantage has been a recurring topic in press conferences.
Due to geopolitical tensions, India hasn’t traveled to Pakistan, the host nation, and has played all their matches, including the final, in Dubai. In contrast, other teams have had to navigate travel within Pakistan before heading to Dubai to compete against India. This situation has led to suggestions that India gained an edge in two ways: by having fewer location changes for their squad and by becoming acclimatized to a specific venue unlike other teams.
Gautam Gambhir, India’s coach, appeared frustrated by these insinuations and firmly rejected any such suggestions, even when not directly asked.
When questioned about whether India’s selection of five spinners, including three all-rounders, was influenced by prior knowledge of Dubai’s conditions, Gambhir launched a strong response against what he termed ‘perpetual cribbers’.
‘Look, first and foremost, this venue is just as neutral for us as it is for any other team,’ Gambhir stated. ‘We haven’t played here recently. I can’t recall the last time we played in Dubai. Our strategy wasn’t based on the venue. The plan was always to include two frontline spinners in our 15-man squad for a subcontinent tournament, regardless of whether we played in Pakistan or elsewhere.’
‘It’s not as if we intended to create spin-friendly conditions specifically for us. If you observe, we only fielded one frontline spinner in the initial two matches. We used two in this match and the previous one.’
‘There’s been excessive talk about undue advantage. What advantage are we even talking about? We haven’t even practiced here for a single day. Our practice sessions are at the ICC academy, where the conditions are completely different from here. Some individuals are simply chronic complainers. They need to mature. I firmly believe there was no undue advantage for us.’
It’s worth noting that Steven Smith, the captain of the defeated team, doesn’t fit the description of a ‘perpetual cribber’. He downplayed any advantage for India before the match and reiterated his stance afterward.
Smith commented, ‘I’m not buying into that narrative. It is what it is. India played exceptionally well here. The pitch conditions seemed to favor their style of play, with their spin and seam options. They performed better, outplayed us, and are deserving of the win.’
However, Mohammed Shami, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, did mention that familiarity with playing at the same ground had been beneficial. This statement doesn’t necessarily contradict Gambhir’s points. Gambhir has previously praised Shami’s match preparation.
Shami explained his preparation, ‘The crucial thing is understanding the conditions and pitch behavior. Playing at a single venue provides the opportunity to thoroughly adapt to the conditions. In practice, I focus on keeping things simple and bowling according to the pitch conditions for each match.’
When directly asked if playing at the same venue was an advantage, Shami agreed, ‘Definitely. You become familiar with the conditions, the pitch behavior, and many other factors. Even the weather today, being cool, helps your focus. It’s fair to say it’s a positive aspect that all our matches have been at the same venue.’
Despite these discussions, India’s consistent success in ICC events is undeniable. Following their only defeat in the 2023 ODI World Cup final and their undefeated victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, they have maintained a perfect record in the current Champions Trophy, winning all four matches. After recent challenges in Test cricket, Gambhir expressed joy in their ‘flawless’ performance but cautioned against complacency.
Responding to a question about their ‘flawless’ play, Gambhir acknowledged, ‘Yes, we have played flawlessly, but we still have one more match to play. We recognize our strength as an ODI team, and our performance throughout this tournament highlights our hunger, commitment, and desire to achieve something significant for our nation.’
‘In international sports, continuous improvement is essential. We can’t become complacent. There’s always room for growth, whether in batting, fielding, or bowling. We haven’t yet played a perfect game, and we aspire to do so in the final match.’
‘Personally, I am never satisfied with past performances. We aim to keep improving, remain humble, and be relentless on the field while maintaining humility off the field. This is the team environment and culture we want to cultivate, characterized by honesty. We hope to play our best game in the upcoming final.’
