Former cricketer Junaid Khan criticized the scheduling of the 2025 Champions Trophy, suggesting that India benefitted from playing all matches in Dubai without the need for travel, in contrast to New Zealand and South Africa. This sparked a debate over whether India had an unfair advantage, which coach Gautam Gambhir refuted by asserting the team’s lack of local preparation.
Former Pakistan cricketer Junaid Khan has reignited the debate regarding the scheduling of the 2025 Champions Trophy, implicating the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian team. His remarks were made prior to the final match between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday. In a social media post, Khan highlighted the disparities in travel distances experienced by the teams in the tournament, criticizing what he perceives as a scheduling advantage for India.
Khan pointed out that South Africa traveled 3,286 kilometers, including unnecessary travel to Dubai and back in under 12 hours due to uncertainty with their semifinal game. In contrast, New Zealand traveled a total of 7,150 kilometers, as they played matches at four different venues, whereas India played all matches in Dubai with zero travel distance. He tweeted, “Distance traveled between matches in Champions Trophy 2025: New Zealand: 7,150 KM, South Africa: 3,286 KM, India: 0 KM. Some teams win by skill, some win by scheduling…”.
Due to geopolitical constraints, India was unable to travel to Pakistan for the tournament, prompting the ICC to designate the UAE as a neutral venue. This led to claims that India gained an unfair advantage by not having to move between cities, unlike their competitors. However, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir rebuffed these allegations, asserting that the Indian team had not practiced in Dubai prior to the tournament and trained at the ICC Academy, which offers different conditions. He remarked, “Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man. They’ve got to grow up. So, I feel that there was nothing like we had any undue advantage or we had planned something like that.”
The ongoing debate regarding the scheduling of the Champions Trophy has raised questions about fairness among competing teams. Junaid Khan’s comments reflect concerns over logistical advantages, particularly for the Indian team. While some believe India benefited from remaining in one location, the Indian head coach has strongly contested such claims, emphasizing a lack of practice and preparation in Dubai. Thus, the controversy continues as discussions about equitable conditions persist.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
