"It is the way it is" - Former Australian seamer on whether India had an unfair advantage at 2025 Champions Trophy

Former Australia seamer and legend Glenn McGrath has joined in the discussion about India having an alleged advantage at the 2025 Champions Trophy. India won the marquee ICC tournament by beating New Zealand in the final in Dubai on March 9.

The Men in Blue did not travel to Pakistan, the host nation for the 2025 Champions Trophy, and played all their matches in Dubai, including the semifinal and the final. After their win, several experts and former cricketers have opined that India had the advantage of playing all their matches at a single venue.

Glenn McGrath has heaped praise on India for using the conditions well during their Champions Trophy campaign. He said Rohit Sharma and his troops did not have an unfair advantage as such despite playing at a single venue.

"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. 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 was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

He added that India are well aware of the ODI game, which has also been positively impacted due to their IPL and T20 cricket. McGrath said it is a challenge for other teams to come and play in India as they are a quality side.

"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.

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Glenn McGrath on fast bowlers' value who missed the 2025 Champions Trophy for India

The Australian legend also spoke about the importance of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, highlighting his value to the Indian team. Bumrah, who sustained an injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, missed the Champions Trophy for India after failing to recover on time.

"He is an experienced fast bowler and is one of the best in the world. He is unique. I take keen interest in Jasprit and the way he goes. The recent Australia-India Test series showed how important he is to India. If you take Bumrah out of that series, it could have been very one-sided," he said in the same interview.

"If he had been fit enough to bowl in the second innings of the last Test (Sydney), you never know. To play five Tests in a row is a massive ask and you have to look after him," McGrath added.

Talking about his recovery and comeback, the former pacer said that while Bumrah has done it before and knows to come back, he has to be smart about it as he is no longer a youngster.