Rassie van der Dussen goes nuclear, accuses ICC of giving India 'special treatment' in CT 2025

The 36-year-old South Africa National Cricket Team right-handed batter Rassie van der Dussen has officially joined the camp, accusing the India National Cricket Team of getting an unfair advantage in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Rassie van der Dussen claims that India staying in one hotel, practicing in the same facility, and playing in the same Dubai stadium gives them an advantage.

Also Read: Shubman Gill fitness update: Batter turns up for practice on rest day

It's definitely an advantage - Rassie van der Dussen on India playing in Dubai

As per the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 schedule, the India National Cricket Team will be playing all their matches in Dubai - including the semi-final and final if they qualify.

However, the rest of the seven teams will be traveling across Pakistan and Dubai. This happened because the BCCI refused to send Team India to Pakistan due to political tensions between the countries and a hybrid model was adopted with India playing in a neutral venue.

In the last few days, the likes of Michael Atherton, Pat Cummins, and Aaqib Javed have stated that the Men In Blue have been given an unfair advantage by the ICC, and the latest one to join the bandwagon is Rassie van der Dussen. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, the Proteas batter said:

"If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it's definitely an advantage."

I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that - Rassie van der Dussen

Being very blunt, the Proteas batter said that one shouldn't be a rocket scientist to know that the fact that India have been given an unfair advantage. He added that the onus would be on India to make the most of the privileges, and said that they will be under tremendous pressure. He elaborated:

"I don't think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage.

"In a sense it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign - and [India] are going to be used to them. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge."

It's a strange situation - Rassie van der Dussen

Rassie van der Dussen was also disappointed with South Africa not playing regularly in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and labeled it as a strange situation. He said:

"It's a strange situation. I was speaking to someone at training today, and I said it's almost been a week since we've played. It feels like everyone else is playing, but we're not. We have so many training sessions. What's happening today? Another training session. We have another session tomorrow, which will probably be optional."

Van der Dussen further said that the match between South Africa and Australia would have been a cracker, but the washout ruined it. He stated:

"But it is what it is. It would have been a cracking match [against the Aussies]. They're playing well, even though they're missing their big three bowlers [Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood].

"We played well against Afghanistan, and when you're playing well you want to keep playing. The challenge for us is to keep that momentum from a week ago."