The 2025 Champions Trophy will follow a hybrid model, meaning Team India will play its matches in Dubai, while other teams will play in Pakistan. After the Indian squad announcement, fans and experts are curious about how the Dubai pitch will behave.
Even experienced players like Ravichandran Ashwin and UAE coach Lalchand Rajput have questioned India’s five-spinner strategy. Now, Dubai pitch curator Matthew Sandrey has shared an important update about the pitch conditions.
Dubai Pitch Report by Curator
Matthew Sandrey, the head pitch curator of Dubai International Cricket Stadium, revealed that after the ILT20 final on February 9, the pitch was kept unused for more than a week.
When asked if the pitch would be slow during the Champions Trophy, Sandrey said “No.”
According to ESPN Cricinfo, he stated:
“After the ILT20 final, the Dubai pitch will get around two weeks to recover. We will prepare the best possible surface for the Champions Trophy, considering the conditions. I believe the pitch will behave normally for ODI matches, just like anywhere else in the world.”
Will This Help Team India?
If the pitch is slow, it could actually benefit Team India, as they have selected five spinners in their squad:
- Axar Patel
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Washington Sundar
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Varun Chakravarthy
A slow pitch will make it easier for these spinners to take wickets.
How Was the Pitch in ILT20 League?
- In the ILT20 League, both bowlers and batters got support from the pitch.
- Interestingly, during the entire ILT20 tournament, only one match saw a score of over 200 runs.
This shows that the Dubai pitch is not completely batter-friendly. It will be interesting to see how it behaves in the Champions Trophy and whether it helps or troubles Team India!
