New Zealand cricket team captain Mitchell Santner spoke about India’s alleged “Dubai advantage” ahead of the Champions Trophy final. The Kiwis will lock horns with the Men in Blue in the high-octane clash on Sunday. While a lot of players and critics have cried foul over India playing all their matches in Dubai, Santner is the latest to enter the debate, with a unique view.
Santner’s take on India’s advantage ahead of Champions Trophy final
Speaking to reporters on New Zealand’s arrival in Dubai, Santner admitted that India knew the surface very well having played all their matches in Dubai. He said that the surface will dictate how the Kiwis would want to operate, adding that it was slower than the pitch they saw in Lahore. New Zealand have played only one game in Dubai in Champions Trophy where they succumbed to a 44-run defeat at the hands of Rohit Sharma and co.
“They’ve played all their games here in Dubai and know that surface. Obviously, the surface will dictate a little bit of how we want to operate. It might be a little bit slower than what we got in Lahore. It might be more of a scrap, but we’re down to scrap,” Santner said
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Brushing aside the “Dubai advantage” debate, Santner said that it was all about the New Zealand team being prepared for the game. He said that traveling to various venues for the matches was a part of the challenge.
“We’ve come against a good side. I think we’ll be better for the run we had the other day against them. We’ve had a bit of a roll on. Hopefully, it continues. It’s just the general feel of this tournament, moving around a lot. It’s all part of the challenge. I think we’ve been to every place here. Obviously, in Pakistan and Dubai. I think the guys understand it’s part of it these days. As long as you’re ready to go for the game, it’s fine,” he added.
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