Mitchell Starc Shuts Down ‘Dubai Advantage’ Debate Over India’s Champions Trophy Win

Australian pacer shut down the debate on Dubai advantage by saying this

March 14, 2025: Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has bluntly dismissed the argument that India had an unfair advantage in the Champions Trophy 2025 by playing all their matches in Dubai. His comments come in response to criticisms raised by Pat Cummins, Nasser Hussain, and Mike Atherton, who claimed India’s victory carried an “asterisk” due to them playing all their games at the same venue.

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Starc’s Take: ‘Indian Players Are Restricted to IPL, We Play Worldwide’

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Starc on Fanatics TV:
“I’m not sure it is an advantage per se because as cricketers we have got all the opportunities to play all franchises in the world, but the Indian guys can only play in the IPL. So, I don’t think you can sit on that because you have got guys who play across five to six different franchise leagues a year. So, even they are getting the exposure to white-ball cricket.”

Key Points:

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• Global Players Have More Exposure: Unlike Indian players, who are restricted to IPL, international cricketers can play in multiple T20 leagues worldwide, gaining experience in various conditions.
• India’s Depth & Strategy Trumped Conditions: Starc suggests that India’s superior squad and consistent performances were the real reasons behind their title-winning run.
• ‘Not Surprised India Won’ – Starc also admitted he wasn’t shocked by India’s undefeated title run and praised Varun Chakravarthy, calling him an “interesting bowler.”

The ‘Dubai Advantage’ Debate – Why It’s Flawed

Claim: India benefited from playing all matches in Dubai, unlike other teams that had to adjust to different venues.
Reality:
Neutral Venue for All Teams – Dubai was not India’s home ground; all teams played there at some stage.
Other Teams Had Preparation Time – Squads had pre-tournament games and weeks of training in the same conditions.
India’s Squad Strength & Depth Were the Real Factor – Winning every game convincingly proved India’s dominance, not just familiarity with conditions.

Starc’s Verdict on India’s White-Ball Supremacy

Asked if India is the Greatest White-Ball Team Ever, Starc Said:
“They still haven’t won the ODI World Cup. The Indian fans will say yes, the Australian fans will probably say no.”

India’s Recent White-Ball Achievements:
Champions Trophy 2025 – Champions (Unbeaten run)
T20 World Cup 2024 – Finalists
Asia Cup 2023 – Champions
ODI World Cup 2023 – Finalists

Verdict: While India has been the most dominant white-ball team over the last two years, their inability to win the ODI World Cup still leaves room for debate.

Final Thoughts

Starc’s comments add a fresh perspective, shifting the focus back to India’s quality rather than venue advantage.
Do you agree with Starc’s argument? Is India the best white-ball team right now? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

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#MitchellStarc, #INDvsAUS, #DubaiAdvantage, #ChampionsTrophy2025, #CricketDebate, #BCCI, #WhiteBallKings,