Rohit Sharma - 'Dubai not our ground, it's new for us as well'

Rohit Sharma – ‘Dubai not our ground, it’s new for us as well’

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In the 2025 Champions Trophy, Australia has visited three venues while New Zealand has seen all four. South Africa has prepared for a potential semi-final against India in Dubai, despite not playing there, and is now returning to Lahore. India, playing their fourth match in Dubai, face Australia in the semi-final but captain Rohit Sharma states they don’t have a significant home advantage, noting pitch conditions can vary despite familiarity. He emphasizes adapting to unknown pitch behaviors and acknowledges Australia’s formidable reputation and the pressure both teams will face in this crucial clash.

Among the four teams still in contention for the Champions Trophy 2025, Australia has visited three of the tournament’s four venues, while New Zealand has been to all four. South Africa has also been to Dubai, despite not playing there, to prepare for a potential semi-final against India that ultimately did not take place, and they are now on their way back to Lahore. (For clarity, South Africa has not raised any concerns about this travel and was excited about the opportunity to play golf in Dubai.)
On the other hand, India has remained stationary, set to play their fourth match in Dubai in two weeks on Tuesday, which will be a semi-final against Australia. While their travel has been minimal and they’ve had the advantage of three matches at this location, according to India captain Rohit Sharma, they do not have a significant edge at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

“It’s not like we have prior knowledge of how these pitches will perform,” Rohit stated ahead of India’s semi-final showdown with Australia. “We aren’t certain which pitch will be used in the semi-final, but whatever it is, we must adapt and see how it unfolds. And this isn’t our home ground—it’s Dubai. We don’t play here frequently; it’s new for us as well.”

India has contested two different tracks at the Dubai square so far, concluding their group stage against New Zealand on the same surface they played Bangladesh. The pitch for the semi-final will be the same one used during their match against Pakistan. There has been a sentiment among other teams that this unique schedule—due to India’s economic and geopolitical influence—has granted India a competitive edge. However, Rohit pointed out that conditions have still varied in Dubai.

“The three matches we’ve played had the same surface characteristics, but the behavior of the pitch varied across the games,” he remarked. “Against New Zealand, we noticed that their fast bowlers managed to swing and seam the ball, which wasn’t the case in the previous two matches when our bowlers bowled first. In the evening, it tends to get a bit cooler, which increases the chances of the ball swinging.

“Also, we don’t know how each wicket will perform. They may appear similar, but their behavior differs when you’re actually playing on them. Thus, the pitch presents different challenges, and as batters, we need to consider whether certain shots are viable or not, while bowlers must also make adjustments.”

“Australia has been an exceptional team over the years, so we should anticipate some resistance and tense moments as well. We’re in a semi-final situation, which inherently comes with pressure for both teams to secure a win.”

Rohit Sharma

“Look, it’s a formidable opponent we’re going up against,” Rohit noted. “What we need to do is apply the strategies we’ve been focusing on during the last three games and approach this match similarly. We understand the opposition and their playing style.”

“Australia has been such a great team over the years, so we will expect some fightback and some nervy moments in the middle. There will be pressure on both teams to win that game.”

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