Senior pacer Mohammad Shami acknowledged that playing all of their Champions Trophy matches at the same venue in Dubai has benefitted the Indian team.
The Men in Blue are on an unbeaten streak in the ICC tournament so far. After beating Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand in the group-stage, India outplayed Australia in the semi-final to make their third consecutive appearances in the Champions Trophy final.
Shami returned with the figures of 3/48 (10 overs) in India’s four-wicket victory over Australia in the semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday (March 4).
After the game, head coach Gautam Gambhir dismissed the claims of his side getting an undue advantage of playing their games at a single venue. However, Shami had totally different views to share.
"It definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch. It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue," Shami said after scripting India’s win over Australia, as quoted by TOI.
On the contrary, Gambhir argued that Dubai is as neutral a venue for India as it is for any other team in this competition.
"It is as much a neutral venue for us as it is for any team in this tournament. I don't remember the last tournament we played here in this stadium. The plan was to pick two front-line spinners wherever we played, because the tournament is in the subcontinent. This is the first match where two front-line spinners are playing," Gambhir told reporters.
"What undue advantage? We are practising at the ICC Academy. The conditions there and at the Dubai International Stadium are completely different. There’s a huge difference between the two wickets. Some people are perpetual cribbers, man. They’ve got to grow up," he added.
In Sunday's final, which will take place in Dubai once more, India will play either South Africa or New Zealand.
Meanwhile, the other seven participating teams have had to travel back and forth between the United Arab Emirates and three cities in Pakistan.
South Africa were compelled to travel to Dubai as part of the tournament's hybrid model, but they returned to Pakistan to face New Zealand in the second semi-final in Lahore, scheduled for Wednesday (March 5).
