“India would’ve scored more in Pakistan”: Sourav Ganguly fires back at English experts over India’s alleged Dubai advantage

On one hand, Team India is in red-hot form, having dominated every team in Group A and finished the group stage journey by claiming the top spot in the Champions Trophy Group A table, setting up a semi-final clash against Australia. On the other hand, discussions around India’s “Dubai advantage” continue to surface.

Recently, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen commented on India’s advantage, but the debate has been driven more by former England cricketers-turned-experts like Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain. They believe India is benefiting from playing all their matches at a single venue.

However, former India captain Sourav Ganguly dismissed these claims, stating that India would have scored even more runs had they played in Pakistan. He pointed out that Dubai’s surface is slower compared to Pakistan’s, where most recent Champions Trophy 2025 matches have witnessed scores exceeding 300.

Speaking at a Cricket Association of Bengal event, Ganguly told OneIndia, “The pitches in Pakistan are much better. India would’ve scored more runs there.”

Dubai vs Pakistan comparison

It was no surprise—it had already been predicted that Pakistan’s pitches, typically known as a batter’s paradise, would produce high-scoring matches in the Champions Trophy 2025. And that is exactly what happened. Across all three venues, Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi—runs flowed freely.

In contrast, Dubai’s pitches are sluggish, favouring spinners and seamers. This often results in moderate scoring. The average first-innings score at this venue is just 219, clearly indicating that the surface is not ideal for batters. This was evident in all of India’s matches—whether against Bangladesh, Pakistan, or New Zealand—where every team struggled to put up big scores.

In the last group-stage game, India posted 249 against the Blackcaps. Given New Zealand’s recent form,scoring heavily in Pakistan, it was expected that they would chase down the target, especially with the momentum they had. However, what unfolded further stamped Dubai’s reputation as a sluggish surface. New Zealand were bowled out for just 205, with Varun Chakaravarthy starring with a brilliant five-wicket haul.

Feature	Dubai	Pakistan
Pitch Type	Sluggish, spinner-friendly	Flat, batter-friendly
Highest total	355	Rawalpindi (337) National Stadium (374) Gaddafi Stadium (375)
Support for Bowlers	Spinners and seamers	Early movement for pacers; minimal spin
Scoring Potential	Moderate	High