The Australian skipper believes India’s exclusive matches in Dubai provide a significant edge in the tournament.
February 25, 2025: Australia’s Test captain Pat Cummins has raised concerns over India’s perceived advantage in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to the hybrid model, which sees the Men in Blue playing all their matches at the Dubai International Stadium. Cummins, who opted out of the tournament to be with his family for the birth of his second child and to recover from an ankle injury, highlighted the benefits India enjoys by competing on the same ground throughout the event.
“I think it’s good that the tournament can go on, but obviously it does give them (India) a huge advantage playing on the same ground. They already look very strong and they’ve got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there,” Cummins said in an interview with Yahoo Sport Australia.
India, who declined to play in Pakistan due to security concerns, have dominated the competition so far, registering comprehensive wins over Bangladesh and Pakistan. Their final group match against New Zealand could serve as a mere formality before the knockout stage, assuming favorable results align.
Cummins will soon return to action, leading SunRisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL season, which kicks off on March 22. Reflecting on his break, he said, “It’s been nice to be at home with everything going on, and the ankle rehab is tracking well. I’ll start running and bowling this week. There’s the IPL, followed by the Test World Championship and a West Indies tour, so there’s a lot to look forward to.”
While Cummins was absent from the Champions Trophy, Steve Smith has stepped in as Australia’s captain, leading them to an emphatic victory against England in their opening match in Lahore. Cummins also lauded the efforts of Australian batsman Josh Inglis, who smashed an unbeaten 120 off 86 balls in the high-stakes clash.
“It feels like this was his breakout performance. He’s so dynamic against spin in the middle and also uses reverse ramps against high-speed bowling. He’s all class. He’s got centuries in all three formats now and is proving himself in big tournaments like this one. Come the next Test match, it’s going to be tough to distill 15 players down to 11,” Cummins noted.
With India cruising towards the semi-finals, Cummins’ remarks about their home-away-from-home advantage have sparked debate among cricketing circles. As the tournament progresses, questions about fairness and scheduling in ICC events may gain further traction.
Tags: India, Champions Trophy 2025, Pat Cummins, Australia, Dubai International Stadium, Cricket News, ICC Tournament, Steve Smith, SunRisers Hyderabad, IPL 2025, Rohit Sharma, Josh Inglis, Cricket Debate