India’s place in the final of the ongoing Champions Trophy has sparked debate after South African player Rassie van der Dussen remarked “It’s definitely an advantage to India” to play all their matches in Dubai.”

Now, in an opinion piece for the South African website iol (Break Point Column), columnist Morgan Bolton has added fued to the fire as he wrote: “Some might argue that sport cannot be a monopoly in the purest sense, but when I look at Indian cricket and my understanding of the term, both certainly align. According to statistics, cricket will generate $3.84 billion in revenue in 2025, with Indian cricket accounting for about $2.38 billion. It makes sense—India is by far the largest consumer of the sport.”

Bolton further noted: “That’s about 62% of all revenue, a market share similar to what De Beers enjoyed as it wound down in the Noughties. That share is expected to grow in the coming years. Meanwhile, the IPL is valued at $11 billion, and India controls interests in the SA20, America’s Major League Cricket, the Caribbean Premier League, and the less prestigious International League T20.”

The columnist also highlighted events where India enjoyed favored venues. “It is clear, armed with this unequaled financial power, that the Board of Control for Cricket in India is the master of the ICC and enjoys a mighty degree of favoritism. This has certainly been the case during the ICC Champions Trophy, which will see Pakistan host India and New Zealand in the final in Dubai. India refuses to play in Pakistan due to geopolitical reasons,” he wrote.

Bolton expressed concerns over the potential impact of India’s dominance on the spirit of the game, stating: “While the on-pitch advantage India is currently exploiting is beyond cynical and borders on cheating, cricket faces a much more pressing problem. The Spirit of Cricket, if it ever existed, won’t be crushed on the field, but rather by the terrible weight of one body controlling it all.”

What Rassie van der Dussen Said

Van der Dussen’s comments came ahead of South Africa’s last group game against England in Karachi. He said, “It’s definitely an advantage. I saw Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage. 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.”

He added, “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus is on them to use that advantage. In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever plays India in the semi or final will face foreign conditions, but India will be used to it. The pressure is on them to get it right because they have all the knowledge.”

Mixed Reactions from Redditors

The article stirred various reactions from Reddit users. Ramiz Raza, a Redditor from Pakistan, commented, “Indian fans enjoying cricket in a stadium is like the Nuremberg rallies. Indian cricket generating a lot of income is like genocidal colonialism, don’t you know. It’s amazing what you can write and say about certain countries.”

Another user wrote: “I would wager quite a bit that this person only has a problem with other countries’ colonialism, not the one that’s the reason India plays cricket in the first place. It’s pure projection.”

One user added: “Honestly, it’s not a great situation, but many nations at various times showed no desire to help grow the game, so you reap what you sow.”