Courtesy: BCCI/Google
Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has slammed two former English cricketers and current analysts, Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton for claiming that India has the upper hand in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to playing ttheir matches only in Dubai. Earlier, Pakistan head coach Aaqib Javed and outgoing England captain Jos Buttler had raised similar points, while Australia's injured captain Pat Cummins and South Africa's Rassie van der Dussen have described the Champions Trophy's scheduling as "a huge advantage to India".
While former India opener Wasim Jaffer took a jibe towards critics stating that India should have changed hotels in Dubai to prevent people from whining, renowned Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar said certain people should quit moaning and instead focus on their team's performance. Since Team India easily defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan to reach the semi-finals, negative comments from critics have been louder.
Why don't you look at why your team has not qualified?: Sunil Gavaskar slams critics
Sunil Gavaskar criticised English analysts telling them to look into their backyard for losing matches. He mentioned their early elimination, following narrow losses to Australia and Afghanistan, shows where their priorities lay. “Why not just actually analyze why your team has not qualified? Instead of blooming’ well keeping India in the limelight, are you even looking at your back yard?,” as told to India Today. England players are not psychological footballers and not in love with results, Gavaskar said.
"It’s not even worth mentioning. They are all grumblers," said Gavaskar before stating that “the money that India gets through TV rights etc. is insane. They should be taught, they only eat with spoons and India spitball the globe."
According to Hussain, Atherton, and cricket analysts, the fact that India is the only team in the Champions Trophy to play all of its matches in Dubai, has given them a distinct advantage over other teams that are changing venues, traveling, and adjusting to new conditions. Gavaskar emphasized that India has a greater contribution towards world cricket, in terms of of both quality and revenue, and he had no qualms about reminding past cricketers that a large portion of their pay is also dependent on the cash generated by India.
