Champions Trophy cricket 2025, India coach Gautam Gambhir whacks claims after Australia knocked out in semi finals

Indian coach Gautam Gambhir hit back at allegations of favouritism after his side knocked Australia out of the Champions Trophy on Wednesday morning.

India will take on either New Zealand or South Africa in the final and Gambhir's team has the added benefit of an extra day's rest before the trophy decider.

It only adds to the advantage India has enjoyed throughout the tournament.

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The powerful BCCI refused to travel into Pakistan despite the reigning champions earning the right to host the Champions Trophy.

Political tensions and safety concerns were behind the decision, although every other team has been based in Pakistan under tight security measures.

Indian coach Gautam Gambhir. SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett

India has remained in one location in Dubai and played all matches on the same wicket at the same venue, while opponents have flown around and played on varying wickets.

A number of high-profile former players and commentators have pointed out the obvious advantage India has in the tournament, but Gambhir denies it exists at all.

"First of all, this is as neutral a venue for us as it is for any other team," Gambhir retorted in his press conference following Wednesday's win.

"We have not played here. I don't remember which tournament we played in this stadium last. And in fact, we didn't plan anything like that.

"There's a lot of debate about the undue advantage and all that. What undue advantage?

"We haven't practised here even for a day. We're practising at the ICC Academy.

"If you look at the wickets there and here, the difference is between the ground and the sky. 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."

India's Virat Kohli hugs teammate Ravindra Jadeja. AP

The farce was highlighted on Sunday when both Australia and South Africa flew from Lahore to Dubai.

It was a gamble given the result of India's game against New Zealand determined where each semi-final would be played, but not when - the BCCI had already ensured India would play the first semi.

Australia won the gamble, staying in Dubai, while South Africa had to turn around and fly back to Lahore to face the Kiwis on Wednesday night.

Australian captain Steve Smith confirmed the wicket in Lahore and the wicket in Dubai were chalk and cheese - a fact India wouldn't know or have to worry about.

"The wickets we played on, yeah, they're completely different tracks," Smith said.

"This one's quite slow, two-paced, took some spin. I think the Gaddafi track [in Lahore] is arguably one of the best one-day wickets in the world for batting. The ball skids on nicely, the outfield's lightning and yeah, there's definite differences there."

Gambhir also denied India was able to pick its line-up knowing exactly how the wicket would play in Dubai.

"The plan was that if you pick two front-line spinners in the 15-man squad, then even if we played in Pakistan or anywhere, we would have picked two front-line spinners because it was a competition on the subcontinent," he said.

"It was nothing like we wanted to set up a spinners' trap.

"If you look at it, we only played one front-line spinner in the first three matches. We only played two front-line spinners in this match or the previous match. So, it was nothing like that."

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