Shami admits playing at one venue 'definitely helps' finalists India

India's experienced pacer Mohammad Shami believes that playing all matches of the Champions Trophy at the same venue has given his team a distinct advantage. However, his opinion contrasts with the views of Indian team captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir.

After taking 3 wickets for 48 runs and helping India defeat Australia to qualify for the final, Shami said, "Undoubtedly, this is helping us. We have a good understanding of the conditions and the behavior of the pitch here."

Shami's statement may give critics a new point of attack, as many have alleged that India has been given the advantage of playing all their matches in Dubai. However, both captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gambhir dismissed this notion.

Rohit said, "This is not our home ground, it's Dubai. We haven’t played many matches here, so it’s new conditions for us as well."

Gambhir added, "This is a completely neutral venue for us, just like it is for other teams. I can’t remember the last time we played a major tournament here. And honestly, we haven’t made any special plans around this."

World cricket analysts, however, hold a different perspective. Former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain expressed their views on a Sky Sports podcast, saying, "For India, this is an overwhelming advantage. They are playing all their matches at the same venue, where they are well aware of the pitch and the conditions."

India's opponent in the final, scheduled for March 9 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, will be New Zealand. This will be India's fifth consecutive match at the same venue. Although New Zealand also played at this ground during the group stage against India, they lost that match.