This is not our home, pitch has given us different challenges: Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma dismissed claims that his team has an unfair advantage in the ICC Champions Trophy by playing all matches in Dubai, stating that the conditions have posed varied challenges.

Several former players from Pakistan, Australia, and England suggested that staying in Dubai has helped India acclimatize better than other Group A teams. However, Rohit refuted the notion, saying Dubai is not India's home venue and the pitches have behaved differently in each match.

"Every time, the pitch is giving you different challenges. This is not our home; we don’t play so many matches here. It is new for us too," Rohit said ahead of India’s semifinal clash against Australia.

He emphasized the importance of adapting to different surfaces, highlighting India's last match against New Zealand, where swing and spin played varying roles.

"If there is something in it for the bowlers as well, that makes it very, very interesting. I am one for it," he added, advocating for a balanced contest between bat and ball.

Rohit also justified India's decision to include five spinners in the squad, citing their observations from the ILT20 tournament in Dubai, which indicated that slow bowlers could be effective.

Reaching Dubai early, he said, helped the team adjust to conditions quickly. "We came here five or six days before, had good training sessions, and adapted well in all three games," he said.