'Their IPL and T20 cricket has...': Glenn McGrath's cracking take on India's 'unfair advantage' in Champions Trophy

A constant topic of conversation throughout the 2025 Champions Trophy, and after, has been over India playing all their matches in Dubai. Australia fast bowling great Glenn McGrath has now stated that India won because they know how to play in spinning conditions and are generally better at ODI cricket than most teams and that playing in Dubai alone did not given them an advantage. India won the Champions Trophy by beating New Zealand in the final(AP)

“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 is quoted as saying by 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’

The Champions Trophy, which India won after beating New Zealand in the final, also came amid dwindling number of ODI matches being played between teams. India themselves played just one ODI series in the time since

India themselves played just three ODI series, each consisting just three matches each, between the final of the World Cup on November 19, 2023 and the start of the Champions Trophy. One of those, against England earlier this year, was pretty much a warm-up for the Champions Trophy itself. McGrath said that the ODI format needs to protected and India know how to play it better than most.

"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," said McGrath.

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