Pat Cummins not happy with ICC for giving India 'special treatment'

Australia pacer Pat Cummins has raised concerns over what he termed as an “unfair advantage” for India in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, as Rohit Sharma’s side continues to play all its matches in Dubai, while other teams are traveling across Pakistan for their fixtures.

India, citing security concerns, opted not to travel to Pakistan and instead had their matches scheduled in Dubai under a hybrid model introduced by the ICC. The decision has drawn criticism, with Cummins, who is not part of the tournament, expressing his reservations.

“I think it's good that the tournament can go on, but obviously it does give them (India) a huge advantage playing on the same ground,” Cummins told Yahoo Sports Australia.

“They already look very strong, and they've got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there.”

India have started their campaign on a dominant note, securing back-to-back six-wicket victories over Bangladesh and arch-rivals Pakistan. With two consecutive wins, they have also become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals, knocking out both Pakistan and Bangladesh. New Zealand has secured the second semi-final spot from Group A.

Hybrid model raises questions

The ICC had initially scheduled the Champions Trophy entirely in Pakistan, but after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refused to send its team across the border citing security reasons, Dubai was added as an alternate venue. While matches in Pakistan are spread across three cities—Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi—India are playing all their games at the same venue.

Australia, meanwhile, began their campaign with a convincing win over England in Lahore, chasing down a massive 352-run target, thanks to Josh Inglis’ unbeaten 120 off 86 balls. In Cummins’ absence, Steve Smith is leading the side, as the Australian skipper opted out of the tournament to be with his family for the birth of his second child and to recover from an ankle injury.

Reflecting on his decision to skip the tournament, Cummins said, "It's been great to be at home during this time, and my ankle rehab is going well. I'll start running and bowling this week, and there’s a lot to look forward to with the IPL, the Test Championship, and the West Indies tour."

Cummins is set to return to competitive cricket next month when he takes charge of SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which begins on March 22.