“Not Having The Greatest Of Feelings”: R Ashwin Blunt Ahead Of India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 Final | Cricket News

India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025 final promises to be a cracker of a cricket match. India entered the title clash undefeated while New Zealand lost only one match – against Rohit Sharma and Co in the group stage. The Champions Trophy 2025 is the third consecutive ICC limited overs event final that India will be playing after the 2023 ODI World Cup final and the 2024 T20 World Cup final. In the lead up to the India vs New Zealand Champions Trophy 2025, the one narrative that is being pushed a lot is whether the Rohit Sharma-led side is getting undue advantage. 

India played all its matches in Dubai, a move that was pre-decided with the BCCI not wanting to send the team to Pakistan – the designated hosts of the Champions Trophy 2025. While all the other teams traversed venues and countries, India have played their five matches in Dubai. 

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin blasted the ‘venue advantage’ propagators. 

“I can only laugh at the questions directed at our captain, coaches in the press conference about ‘home advantage’. In 2009 Champions Trophy, South Africa played all their matches at the same venue and they did not qualify for the final. It is not South Africa’s fault that they did not qualify. Let’s accept that India have played class cricket and have reached the final due to top performances. Last time India played in Dubai was during COVID. After that New Zealand, England, South Africa played in Dubai,” Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. 

“This narrative, there is one team which comes to India and lose 4-0 and then blame the pitch. To throw mud on our players, please don’t go for that narrative. Even Indian people buying into that narrative is something I have an issue with. I still have I am having nerves. I am not having the greatest of feelings. After New Zealand’s win against South Africa, I am feeling, ‘Once again can they hurt us.'”

With teams having to adapt to different playing conditions, it has generated some controversy in cricketing circles, with ex-cricketers like Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton being among the personalities having alleged that the scheduling offers an advantage to India because they have a massively reduced travel time, play at just one venue where they know the conditions well and selected their squad keeping Dubai in mind.

Speaking on the match situation to the media, Stead said, “I think there is no doubt that coming here or playing Lahore and we had a full day of travel yesterday, then it just takes it out of you a little bit, but we have got a couple of days now of a little bit of recovery and a little bit of planning and training towards the game, but I guess we are deep into the tournament now and sometimes it is not always a lot of training that you need. It is just getting your body and your mind right to compete in the final, and that will be our key focus over the next two days.”

With ANI inputs