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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Daniel Gallan

We should love this India team but Champions Trophy felt a hollow triumph

India players celebrate with the trophy on the podium after winning the ICC Men's Champions Trophy
India’s triumph in a Champions Trophy designed to favour them left many cold, for all the team’s brilliance. Photograph: Satish Kumar/Reuters

They can tear you apart with a thousand incisive cuts or systematically grind you down to a fine powder. They have a bottomless well of talent with multiple world class options in every position. Winning is not only expected but demanded, both from within the camp and throughout their legions of loyal supporters that have turned them into a commercial behemoth.

No, not India, who eased past New Zealand to claim the Champions Trophy this weekend. We’re talking about Ricky Ponting’s Australia. Actually, it’s Clive Lloyd’s West Indians. Or should that be Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, Richie McCaw’s All Blacks, or the Americans under Christie Rampone, Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe?

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