Champions Trophy: India have 'no advantage' over New Zealand, says Kotak

India face New Zealand in the title clash on Sunday at a venue where the tournament favourites have been unbeaten in their four matches in the competition.

Rohit Sharma's side refused to tour hosts Pakistan in the eight-nation tournament due to political tensions and were given Dubai as their venue in the United Arab Emirates.

But India have impressed in the Champions Trophy and will be confident of lifting the title this weekend with their favourable record over New Zealand in ODI's.

Indeed, India have won their last six ODIs against New Zealand. The last and only time they recorded a longer winning run against the Black Caps in the format was an 11-match span from January 1986 to December 1988.

This will also be the fourth time the two teams have met in the final of a men's ODI tournament. India won their inaugural fixture (Sharjah Cup – 1 April 1988) while the Black Caps have won each of their last two meetings at this stage (ICC knockout on 15 October 2000 and the Videocon Triangular Series on 6 September 2005).

But India's batting coach, Kotak, blasted back at assertions that India's Champions Trophy hopes were boosted by playing at the Dubai venue.

"The draw that happened, it happened before," batting coach Kotak told reporters before the final.

"After India winning four matches, if people feel that there is an advantage, then I don’t know what to say about it."

Back to Dubai for the big dance #ChampionsTrophy #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/76Tp43mWpF

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) March 5, 2025

The tournament's tangled schedule with teams flying in and out of the UAE from Pakistan while India have stayed put has been controversial.

South Africa's David Miller said "it was not an ideal situation" for his team to fly to Dubai to wait for India's semi-final opponent and then fly back to Lahore in less than 24 hours.

Even nominal hosts Pakistan had to make the trip to Dubai to play India rather than face them on home soil.

The pitches have been vastly different in the two countries. Pakistan tracks produced big totals in contrast to the slow and turning decks of the Dubai Stadium.

"At the end of the day, I think in a game you have to play good cricket every day when you turn up," Kotak said. "So the only thing they [critics] may say is that we play here.

"But that is how the draw is. So nothing else can happen in that. It is not that after coming here, they changed something, and we got an advantage."

India have been the team to beat after they topped Group A, in which they faced New Zealand, Pakistan and Bangladesh before beating Australia in the first semi-final.

New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, lost the last group game to India by 44 runs before they beat South Africa in the second semi-final in Lahore.

Kotak, however, said the previous result between the two teams will have no bearing on their mindset going into the final.

"That depends how the New Zealand team thinks, but I think we should not think that," Kotak said.