WARNING: Gambhir cautions as Haddin reveals truth after Rohit Sharma's response

India's decision not to tour Pakistan for the ICC tournament due to political and security concerns led the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to choose Dubai as the neutral venue for all of India's matches. This decision has drawn criticism from critics, with Pat Cummins suggesting that India now has an 'undeniable advantage' in Dubai. By not having to travel between venues, India can focus on familiarizing themselves with the UAE conditions, potentially giving them a strategic edge in the tournament.

Haddin said the situation has only put more pressure on India to make the final, despite labelling them as outright favourites. "India are in the unique position that they've played every game at the same venue, there is no grass in the square, it is dry. It suits India and I just think all the pressure is on them," Haddin said on the Willow Talk podcast.

"They've got it set up, they're playing great cricket but it's a one-off shootout. Australia pride themselves on making sure they're tournament play is spot-on and this is one of those games. And I don't think there's any pressure on the Australians at all. They've (India) had it all their own way and I can see - I don't know whether it's an upset - but I can see Australia beating India in these conditions. And I hope so, especially for where the tournament's been."

Haddin cautions Gautam Gambhir

While the clash will be billed as India's chance at levelling the score after the defeat at home in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia, Haddin reckoned anything less than a win will be strongly criticised in India. He also felt there would be pressure on India head coach Gautam Gambhir because the team has not produced the desired results during his tenure thus far.

"I think there's a lot of pressure on India, with the way they've played their cricket since (coach) Gautam Gambhir has taken over," he added. "They probably haven't had the success or style of game that's really been that attractive for the last six months. So I think the pressure is right on India to make a final. And I think if they don't make the final, there will be a big reaction."

ICC Champions Trophy , ICC Champions Trophy Schedule , and Champions Trophy 2025 Points Table – stay ahead with real-time match updates, team standings, and insights. Check live cricket score , player stats, and ICC rankings of top players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli . Get expert analysis, match previews, and in-depth coverage of ICC CT 2025, IPL 2025 Schedule and IPL 2025, all on HT Crickit, powered by Hindustan Times – your trusted source for cricket news along with India vs New Zealand Live Score. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }