ICC Champions Trophy 2025 ultimate: India have ‘no benefit’ over New Zealand – INA NEWS

India taking part in all their Champions Trophy matches in Dubai was a pre-tournament resolution, and speak of it giving India an unfair benefit is baseless, the workforce’s batting coach says as he blasts again in opposition to the criticism.

Rohit Sharma’s India face New Zealand within the title conflict on Sunday on the Dubai Worldwide Stadium, the place the match favourites have been unbeaten of their 4 matches.

India refused to tour hosts Pakistan within the eight-nation match on account of political tensions and got Dubai as their venue within the United Arab Emirates.

“The draw that occurred, it occurred earlier than,” batting coach Sitanshu Kotak advised reporters earlier than the ultimate. “After India successful 4 matches, if individuals really feel that there’s a bonus, then I don’t know what to say about it.”

The match’s tangled schedule with groups flying out and in of the UAE from Pakistan whereas India have stayed put has been controversial.

South Africa batsman David Miller mentioned “it was not a really perfect scenario” for his workforce to fly to Dubai to attend on India’s semifinal opponent after which fly again to Lahore in lower than 24 hours.

Even nominal hosts Pakistan needed to leap on a jet and fly to Dubai to play India reasonably than face them on dwelling soil.

The pitches have been vastly totally different within the two international locations. Pakistan tracks produced large totals in distinction to the gradual and turning decks of the Dubai stadium.

“Finish of the day, I feel in a recreation it’s important to play good cricket daily while you flip up,” Kotak mentioned. “So the one factor they [critics] could say is that we play right here. However that’s how the draw is.”

“So nothing else can occur in that. It’s not that after coming right here, they modified one thing, and we obtained a bonus,” he added.

India have been the workforce to beat after they topped Group A, wherein they confronted New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They then beat Australia within the first semifinal.

New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, misplaced the final group recreation to India by 44 runs earlier than they beat South Africa within the second semifinal in Lahore.

Kotak mentioned the earlier outcome between the 2 groups can have no bearing on their mindset going into the ultimate.

“That relies upon how the New Zealand workforce thinks, however I feel we should always not assume that,” Kotak mentioned.

“We must always simply try to flip up and play a superb recreation of cricket as a result of there isn’t any use excited about the final match.”

New Zealand head coach Gary Stead mentioned they aren’t too frightened about India’s benefit.

“I imply, look, the choice round that’s out of our fingers,” Stead mentioned.

“So it’s not one thing we fear about an excessive amount of. India have gotten to play all their video games right here in Dubai. However as you mentioned, now we have had a recreation right here, and we’ll study in a short time from that have there as nicely.”

“And if we’re ok to beat India on Sunday, then I’m certain we’ll be very, very completely satisfied,” he added.