After India made it to the final of the Champions Trophy by defeating Australia on Tuesday night, head coach Gautam Gambhir made his first appearance in front of the media and answered all questions with aplomb, refraining from being defensive about anything. One of the biggest talking points during this tournament has been about whether Team India have an advantage playing only in Dubai while their rivals have been hopping from venue to venue in Pakistan and also making a dash to play India in Dubai. 

Gambhir claimed there was no such advantage. “What undue advantage? This is as neutral a venue for us as it is for any other team. We have not played here [too often]. I don’t remember which tournament we played in this stadium last. We haven’t practised here [at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium] even for a day. We’re practising at the ICC Academy [ground nearby]. And the conditions and even the wickets there and here are totally different. Some people are just perpetual cribbers. They’ve got to grow up,” said Gambhir.