Mitchell Johnson on India’s schedule in Champions Trophy: It raises questions about the overall integrity of the tournament

Former Australia gun fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has questioned the integrity of the ongoing Champions Trophy 2025 as India is allowed to play all of their matches in Dubai. Johnson reckons it gives an undue advantage to the Men in Blue as other teams are playing their matches in different venues in Pakistan.

The former Australian pacer acknowledged that India had their reservations regarding their travel to Pakistan due to security and political reasons but playing at one venue gives them an edge over other teams.

Johnson wrote in his column for the Nightly, “The 2025 Champions Trophy has generated quite a bit of discussion, particularly about India’s arrangement to play in Abu Dhabi [Dubai] not Pakistan which allows them to play on the same pitch for the entire tournament. Many respected voices have pointed out that this seems unfair to the other teams and it’s an argument that has legitimate weight despite the obvious security concerns India has about playing in Pakistan. This isn’t the first time the governing body has come under fire for how it handles matters related to India and it raises questions about the overall integrity of the tournament.”

The former left-arm pacer believes if India reaches the final then it would be difficult for the other team to get used to the Dubai conditions in a short time.

“This situation also brings up several questions regarding the tournament’s fairness, especially as the finals approach. If the finals end up in Dubai, teams will definitely need to be prepared to travel quickly and adjust to the local conditions, which can be a significant challenge.”

On the other hand, Johnson reckons Australia can not afford to take Afghanistan lightly after Hashmatullah Shahidi’s team stunned England by eight runs.

“After the washout with South Africa, Australia finds itself in a strong position. However, they can’t take Afghanistan lightly, they have a talented squad and will be confident against Australia after beating them in the T20 World Cup last year. Australia usually thrives in pressure situations and big tournaments, but Afghanistan will be coming in without the weight of expectation, which can make them a dangerous opponent.”

Australia will lock horns against Afghanistan in the 10th match of the ongoing Champions Trophy at the Gadaffi Stadium, Lahore on Friday.