This article discusses the controversy around the scheduling of the 2025 Champions Trophy, where Junaid Khan accused the Indian team and BCCI of benefitting from favorable logistics. He highlighted the differing travel distances faced by teams, while India played all their matches in Dubai. Gautam Gambhir, the Indian coach, rejected claims of undue advantage due to practice conditions.
During the build-up to the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand at the Dubai International Stadium, former Pakistan fast bowler Junaid Khan expressed his views regarding the tournament’s scheduling controversy. He criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian team for seemingly benefitting from the arrangements, stating that the difference in travel distances between the teams was disproportionate.
Junaid Khan highlighted the travel ordeal faced by South Africa, who covered 3,286 kilometers, including a brief trip back to Pakistan, while New Zealand traveled 7,150 kilometers. In contrast, Team India did not travel at all as all their matches were conducted in Dubai. His tweet noted, “Distance travelled 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…”
Geopolitical constraints limited the Indian team’s travel to Pakistan, resulting in the decision to hold all their matches in the UAE. Critics argue that this situation provided India an advantage, allowing them to compete without the need for extensive travel, unlike their counterparts who navigated multiple venues.
However, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir refuted the notion of an advantage, asserting that the team had not practiced in Dubai before the games. He emphasized the significant differences in conditions between where they practiced and the match venue, dismissing the claims as baseless. Gambhir stated, “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.”
In summary, the scheduling controversy surrounding the 2025 Champions Trophy has elicited strong opinions from players and coaches alike. Junaid Khan’s criticisms focused on travel disparities among participating teams, while Gautam Gambhir defended India’s position against claims of an undue advantage. Overall, the situation highlights the complexities of international tournament logistics and the varying impacts on participating teams.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
