Spin expertise, not undue advantage, led India to Champions Trophy win, McGrath opines

The ICC Champions Trophy has wrapped up with the Men in Blue claiming the title. However, opinions continue to pour in regarding India’s position in the tournament. As per an agreement between the BCCI and PCB, mediated by the ICC, it was decided that India would play all its fixtures in Dubai. While the rest of the teams traveled across the three venues in Pakistan and Dubai to face India, the Men in Blue avoided the taxing travel schedule. However, the favorable schedule, coupled with discussions about India’s acclimatization to Dubai, sparked debate within the cricketing fraternity about whether India had an advantage in the tournament. Now, even after the Men in Blue have secured the title, there seems to be a knot in the fraternity whether it was the team's form or the "undue advantage" that facilitated India's victory.

Australia's legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding India's campaign at the ICC Champions Trophy. While many have questioned whether this gave them an unfair advantage, McGrath dismissed such claims, stating that India's success was down to their expertise in spin-friendly conditions and their overall proficiency in ODI cricket. He emphasized that simply playing in Dubai was not the decisive factor behind their triumph.

“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 said. “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," he added.

India clinched the Champions Trophy title after defeating New Zealand in the final, a tournament that unfolded at a time when bilateral ODI series have been on the decline. In fact, between their 2023 ODI World Cup final appearance on November 19, 2023, and the start of the Champions Trophy, India played only three ODI series, each limited to just three matches. One of those, a series against England earlier this year, essentially served as preparation for the tournament. McGrath also stressed the importance of preserving ODI cricket, highlighting that India’s ability to master the format better than most teams played a key role in their success.

"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.