Australia's premier fast bowler Mitchell Starc has acknowledged that India had a clear advantage by playing all their matches at a single venue during the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

However, he also admitted that the Rohit Sharma-led side won the title "fair and square."

India played all their matches at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium after refusing to travel to host nation Pakistan. This decision meant that while other teams had to endure frequent travel, India remained stationed at a single venue throughout the tournament.

The Australian left-arm pacer, who missed the eight-team tournament due to personal reasons, spoke candidly on Fanatics TV's YouTube channel. "When one team gets to stay at one place, no flights, no restrictions upon them, train at the same venue every time, play every game at the same venue, I would tend to agree with some of the opinions that have come out. I can understand where a lot of the guys in the other seven teams were coming from," he said.

India's decision to play all their matches in Dubai has been a hot topic of debate among fans, experts, and even broadcasters. Starc acknowledged the grievances but insisted that India's dominance in the tournament was undeniable. "Obviously, India won fair and square. They're a bloody good cricket team and have been across all formats for a long time," he added.

The Australian pacer also shed light on the logistical difficulties faced by other teams. New Zealand had to shuttle between Dubai and Pakistan for their semi-final, while South Africa's David Miller openly criticized the demanding travel schedule. Even hosts Pakistan had to travel out of their country to face India.

"New Zealand played in Dubai, then flew back to Pakistan for the semi-final, and again returned to Dubai for the final. Even Pakistan, despite being the hosts, had to travel out of their country to play India. When one team plays at the same place with no flights, I would tend to agree with some of the opinions that have come out," he stated.

Despite the controversy, India remained unbeaten in the tournament, winning all five of their matches. During the event, both Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir were questioned about their team's perceived advantage. Sharma dismissed the claims by stating that Dubai was a neutral venue, while Gambhir went a step further, branding critics as "perpetual cribbers."

While India's dominance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has been commendable, the debate over their venue advantage has cast a shadow over their triumph. The controversy continues to spark discussions, overshadowing what was otherwise a commanding performance from the Men in Blue.