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With the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 reaching its penultimate stage where India will take on New Zealand in the summit clash in Dubai, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice-President, Rajeev Shukla recently opened up on the ongoing criticism surrounding Team India’s “undue advantage”. It is to be noted that Rohit Sharma-led Team India is playing all its matches in Dubai after they refused to travel to Pakistan, citing security reasons.
This decision of the Indian cricket team playing all its matches hasn’t rested well among several cricket pundits and enthusiast alike as they have claimed India of having an upper hand. Speaking to the media during ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final between New Zealand and South Africa in Lahore, a journalist once again put up a query towards the BCCI Vice-President
Indian cricket team doesn’t play depending on pitches: Rajeev Shukla silences critics on India’s home advantage
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Rajeev Shukla was left visibly irked on the questions about India’s advantage to which he replied saying that India back on their performance and not on the pitches. “When this decision was being made during the ICC meeting, it was decided that India-centric matches will be played in Dubai while the remaining games will be played in Dubai,” he said.
“So it’s not about fair or unfair and the Indian cricket team doesn’t play depending on pitches. There are different kind of pitches in Dubai ground as well. India play on performance, the players play on their skills not on the basis of the pitch,” Shukla clarified.
Furthermore, when questioned about on the possibility of resuming bilateral series involving India and Pakistan, he clarified that the decision remains in the hands of the Indian government and not the BCCI. “As far as bilateral cricket relations between India and Pakistan is concerned, the decision is in the hands of the government. Whatever the government of India tells us, we’ll go by that. Moreover, it’s the policy of the BCCI and I guess it would be the same for the PCB as well that whichever bilateral games should take place on the soil of either of the two nations. It shouldn’t take place at a neutral venue, it’s a consistent policy by the BCCI,” he said.
It is to be noted that India last travelled to Pakistan in 2008 during the Asia Cup whereas Pakistan’s recent visit came in the ODI World Cup in 2023. However, their last bilateral series took place in 2012-13 in India and thereafter, the two nations have only faced each other in multinational and ICC tournaments.
