Sunil Gavaskar has put to rest the debate about India enjoying any alleged "unfair advantage" during their recent ICC Champions Trophy 2025 campaign. The legendary Indian cricket team batter addressed these claims following India's victorious match against New Zealand on March 9, 2025, where they secured their title after over a decade, triumphing by four wickets.
The tournament concluded with India's impressive performance, having played all their matches, including the final, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. This decision came after the Indian government opted not to send the national side to Pakistan due to prevailing political tensions. A significant aspect raised by former cricketers and commentators was the notion of India having the upper hand playing all matches at one venue without the travel fatigue encountered by other teams.
"Yes, there will be the carpers who talked about the advantage India had playing only at one venue and not having to travel between matches," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. He criticized opinions voiced post-tournament, arguing such negative comments should have been made prior to the first ball being bowled. He also pointed out, "If ‘home advantage' is the reason India won, then how come England, from where most of the whingers were, did not win ICC trophies till 2019?" This was a pointed reference to England's history of hosting the tournament multiple times without securing victory until their win in 2019.
One of the standout moments of the tournament was Rohit Sharma's captaincy. Not only did he lead the team skillfully, but he also contributed significantly with the bat, scoring 76 runs off 83 balls during the final. Alongside him, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul made pivotal contributions, scoring 48 and 34* runs respectively. Gavaskar praised the well-balanced nature of the team, asserting India's success was attributed to collective talent and performance. "India won simply because it had a well-balanced team, and at different times in the tournament, different players played game-changing roles," he noted.
Rohit Sharma's success extends beyond this championship, marking him as the captain who has delivered two ICC titles, placing him alongside MS Dhoni as one of the few captains to achieve this milestone. This leads to speculations about his future as well; he reportedly dismissed any impending retirement rumors, emphasizing he has not yet decided to step away from the format.
The ICC Champions Trophy win positioned India as the most successful team historically, having previously been declared joint champions with Sri Lanka in 2002 and winning again against England at Edgbaston in 2013. Now, with this fresh title, India has solidified its status at the pinnacle of white-ball cricket.
Looking forward, the next significant 50-over event is the ICC World Cup scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2027. This upcoming tournament leaves the Indian selectors with the task of carefully shaping the team for future successes. Gavaskar has also taken note of improvements within Indian domestic cricket, where state teams, previously unable to compete, have started winning the Ranji Trophy, highlighting the country’s growing talent pool.
He concluded by expressing hopes for the future, stating, "the actual discussions of selection meetings are rarely recorded, which often leads to misunderstandings among fans." He emphasized the importance of transparency and the inclusion of deserving players, living legends like Padmakar ‘Paddy’ Shivalkar, whose contributions have historically been overshadowed.
Given the state of Indian cricket today, there’s optimism. Parents who once encouraged careers in medicine and engineering for guaranteed financial success now see cricket as a viable, exciting option for their children. This shift indicates not only cultural change but also how highly regarded cricketers have become, both for their sporting prowess and marketability.
Finally, amid current success, Gavaskar expressed the necessity for state teams to match the BCCI's compensation to players, thereby ensuring talented players are rewarded adequately for their hard work. This evolution within Indian cricket bodes well for maintaining the momentum created by the achievements of Rohit and his team.