Sunil Gavaskar Dismisses Venue Advantage Debate as India Clinch Champions Trophy 2025

India emerged triumphant in the Champions Trophy 2025, securing their third title in the tournament’s history after defeating New Zealand in a thrilling final. However, their victory sparked debates about whether the team benefited from playing all their matches at a single venue. Former Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has now stepped forward to address these claims, firmly dismissing the notion of an unfair advantage.

Throughout the tournament, critics argued that India’s consistent performance at one venue gave them an edge over other teams. Gavaskar, however, countered this argument by pointing out that England, despite hosting multiple ICC tournaments before 2019, failed to win a single trophy until their World Cup victory that year.

In his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar wrote, “There will always be critics who claim India had an advantage by playing all their matches at one venue without the need to travel. However, this decision was made by the ICC long before the tournament began. If anyone had an issue with it, they should have raised their concerns before the first ball was bowled. If ‘home advantage’ is the reason for India’s win, then why didn’t England, where many of these critics hail from, win any ICC trophies despite hosting tournaments multiple times before 2019?”

Gavaskar emphasized that India’s victory was a result of their well-balanced team and exceptional performances throughout the tournament. He praised the contributions of various players who stepped up at crucial moments, as well as the leadership of captain Rohit Sharma.

“India won because they had a well-rounded team, and at different stages of the tournament, different players rose to the occasion and delivered match-winning performances. Above all, Rohit Sharma’s captaincy was instrumental in guiding the team to victory. With this win, Rohit has joined the legendary MS Dhoni as the only Indian captains to win multiple ICC titles,” Gavaskar added.

Rohit Sharma also addressed speculation about his retirement, clarifying that he has not made any decision to step away from the format.

Meanwhile, Australia captain Pat Cummins, who missed part of the tournament due to injury, expressed his belief that India had a “huge advantage” by being based in Dubai throughout the competition. The Champions Trophy 2025 was held under a hybrid model, with matches split between Pakistan and Dubai, requiring other teams to travel extensively for their group games.

Despite the debates, India’s dominant performances and strategic brilliance under Rohit Sharma’s leadership ultimately sealed their place as deserving champions of the Champions Trophy 2025.

To keep reading, subscribe to spacesportz.com

About The Author

Daphne

See author's posts