Midway through India’s triumphant Champions Trophy campaign, former England captains Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain sparked controversy by suggesting that Rohit Sharma’s team enjoyed an unfair advantage by playing all their matches at a single venue. Due to geopolitical tensions with Pakistan, India did not travel to Pakistan for the ICC tournament, instead playing all their games—including the semifinal and final—in Dubai as per the Hybrid Model. Meanwhile, other teams had to navigate multiple venues across Pakistan.
Beyond the English duo, cricketers like Rassie van der Dussen and Pat Cummins also weighed in, questioning whether India’s lack of travel gave them an edge. South African batsman David Miller expressed frustration over his team’s ‘not ideal’ semifinal scheduling after their loss to New Zealand.
However, legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath dismissed these claims, stating that India didn’t have any undue advantage. In an interview, he defended Rohit Sharma’s squad, saying, “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. You have to give credit to India; they played to the conditions. They know how to play on spinning tracks.”
McGrath further reasoned that the same logic could apply to any home team, adding, “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.”
Regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history, McGrath also highlighted the influence of the IPL on India’s one-day cricket dominance. “Their IPL and T20 cricket has had a positive impact on one-day cricket. India are confident and they know their game well,” he noted.
While acknowledging the importance of preserving Test cricket, McGrath emphasized that ODIs and World Cups remain crucial. “India knows 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 concluded.
With a legend like McGrath backing India’s performance, it seems the controversy over their Champions Trophy success holds little weight.
