Gavaskar: Players ‘Helpless’ Regarding India-Pakistan Cricket Matches

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar stated that players are essentially “powerless” concerning the decisions of whether the Indian team should compete against Pakistan in international cricket.

The discussion surrounding the forthcoming Asia Cup 2025 match between the two major rivals has grown more intense following unexpected tensions between the two nations, further straining their relationship.

Since then, social media has been filled with requests to boycott Pakistan in all sports, including cricket.

Even in the Legends League, the India Champions team chose not to play against Pakistan. However, a face-off is still possible in the Asia Cup, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirming the team’s involvement upon announcing the squad on August 19.

Speaking with the media, Gavaskar stressed that players have no influence in these situations and must abide by instructions.

Gavaskar’s Perspective

Gavaskar stated, “If the government has made a decision, I don’t see how the players can face criticism because they are contracted to the BCCI and will follow the Indian government’s directives. So, it entirely hinges on that.”

He added, “The players are helpless in this matter. They’ve been chosen for the Asia Cup, and if the government instructs them to play, they will. If the government says no, the BCCI will respond accordingly.”

The Asia Cup, featuring eight teams divided into two groups, will take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi from September 9 to 28. Group A comprises India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.

Dubai will stage 11 games, while Abu Dhabi will host eight. The tournament commences on September 9 with Afghanistan versus Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.

India will launch its campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai, followed by the highly anticipated match against Pakistan on September 14. Their last group-stage game against Oman is scheduled for September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

The Super Four stage is scheduled from September 20 to 26, with the final set for September 28 in Dubai.

India’s Asia Cup Squad:

Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube , Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy , Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson