Gavaskar Fires Back Over Criticism of India’s Venue Advantage

Former Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has fired back at former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton for their criticism of India playing all its ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai.

The arrangement, a result of political tensions preventing India from traveling to Pakistan, has sparked claims of an “undeniable” advantage for India, as argued by Hussain and Atherton.

The two former England captains contended that India benefits from staying at a single venue while other teams must travel and adapt to different conditions. England captain Jos Buttler and South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen also weighed in on the debate.

However, with England eliminated from the semi-final race after losses to Australia and Afghanistan, Gavaskar urged the English critics to focus on their own team’s failures rather than pointing fingers at India.

“I think these are all wise and experienced people. Why don’t you actually look at why your team has not qualified?” Gavaskar questioned. “Rather than constantly focusing on India, are you even looking at your own backyard? Your players are in such a fragile mental state—they don’t seem to care about results as long as they meet certain expectations.”

Gavaskar emphasized the importance of accountability, saying, “Results matter. If you’re representing your country, the responsibility is even greater.”

Taking aim at the repeated criticism, he added, “All the time, they are moaning—’India has got this, India has got that.’ It’s constant. We must just ignore it. Let them keep moaning. We have better things to focus on.”

Sunil Gavaskar also highlighted: “India’s contribution to global cricket—through television rights and media revenue—plays a massive role. They need to understand that their salaries also come from what India brings to the world of cricket,” he said.