Dubai: The debate over India playing all their matches in Dubai during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy continues to stir discussions. However, Australian fast-bowling legend Glenn McGrath has dismissed claims that this gave India an unfair edge, stating that their success was due to superior adaptability to spinning conditions and overall dominance in ODI cricket.
“It is the way it is. India does not travel to Pakistan anymore. There was only one other thing — the matches had to be played in Dubai,” McGrath told the Times of India. “You have to give credit to India, they played to the conditions. They know how to play on spinning tracks. I do not think that they had an unfair advantage. It is like saying there is an unfair advantage if India play all their matches in India, if Australia play all their matches in Australia.”
‘India Know the ODI Game Very Well’
India secured the Champions Trophy 2025 title by defeating New Zealand in the final. The win comes at a time when ODI cricket is witnessing a decline in global prominence, with teams playing fewer matches. India, too, played just three bilateral ODI series—each with three matches—between the 2023 World Cup final and the start of the Champions Trophy.
Despite the format’s challenges, McGrath emphasized India’s expertise in one-day cricket, attributing it to the influence of IPL and T20 cricket.
“Their IPL and T20 cricket has had a positive impact on one-day cricket. India are confident and they know their game well. It is important to protect Test cricket, but ODIs and World Cups are very important as well. India know the ODI game very well. It is a challenge for other teams to come over to India and play well. I like them to be challenged, but India are a quality team,” he added.
With this Champions Trophy triumph, India has further cemented its position as a dominant force in international cricket, proving their excellence in all formats.
