Sports

World cricket has nothing to lose if Pakistan-India series doesn't take place: Gavaskar

Former Indian captain says a series between the arch-rivals will not be as exciting as it used to be before

Sports Desk December 05, 2015

PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

In a first, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar said on Friday world cricket has nothing to lose if Pakistan, India don't play against each other in a bilateral series.

“A cricket series between India and Pakistan used to be the mother of all battles, but not anymore,” Gavaskar told NDTV on Friday.

"They [India and Pakistan] - unlike the Ashes -- haven't played bilateral series since 2012 and before that also the contest between the two was pretty sporadic. So, I don't think this has affected world cricket at all," he added.

India, Pakistan deadlock continues on cricket series

Further, the former captain said the quality of cricket is not top class either which will affect the hype of the bilateral series.

“"With absolutely no disrespect to the current teams, I am not too sure if the clash between the two teams would be that exciting as those two series," said Gavaskar.

"When Sourav Ganguly's team toured Pakistan in 2004-05 and Inzamamul Haq's team came to India in 2007-08, the excitement levels were way high because of the quality of the players in both sides."

Shahryar Khan wants to know India's reason to not play in UAE

Gavaskar also said that the BCCI must respect the decision of the Indian government, and if the bilateral series won’t take place, it will not affect the world of cricket.

According to the signed MOU between Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), six bilateral series will take place between the two arch rivals in the next eight years.

Pakistan is due to host four out of six series, first of which will have to place in 2015, followed by series in 2019, 2020 and 2022, whereas India is due to host series in 2017 and 2023.

PCB and BCCI earlier agreed on principle that the first series will take place in Sri Lanka in December if the both Government permits.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already given a nod to the PCB for the series, but BCCI is still waiting for the approval from the Indian Government.

The article originally appeared on NDTV.

COMMENTS (26)

Somebody | 8 years ago | Reply @someone: Thank you for telling that MOU's are not contracts and can be revoked any time. So according to it the MOU's signed by Modi in his foreign tours do not carry any value. Trust Indians to call the swan a crow in their shamelessness.

someone | 8 years ago | Reply @kaamAdmi: FYI, Pakistan did not vote for Big 3. It was absent from voting. PCB has no role of making any one part of big 3. It just does not have enough credibility to do that. Big 3 is a reality without Pakistan. Now you may spin as much as you wish, but Pakistan has absolutely no moral ground for anything whatsoever. By the way MoU is not contract.

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kaamAdmi | 8 years ago | Reply PCB was foolish to vote for BCCI and make it part of B3, against so called promise ie MoU

Jaggu | 8 years ago | Reply @Anuj: just say 'no series' whether we are desperate or not. How hard is it for you people to understand? the ball is in your court and you are playing with it like hypocrites.

Revenge | 8 years ago | Reply @MJ Keep begging! the only thing you are good at your child tactics like name calling shows your level.

Anuj | 8 years ago | Reply @Jaggu "Do you have the guts to do it India', What guts?? Its Pakistan who is desperate for revenue and the question should be Do you have the guts to stop begging?

Zulfiqar Baig | 8 years ago | Reply Shame on you Sunil Gavaskar..Seems like you were playing cricket just to earn money only.

MJ | 8 years ago | Reply look people, the only reason India plays these little girly games is that they are afraid to loose to Pakistan!! Pakistan has a lop-sided record with the win ratio against india. That didn't fit well with the bollywood fantasies about india as a great power etc. thus endia has been using all sorts of ways to avoid playing Pakistan & not bring about shame to their little team of girls.

Jaggu | 8 years ago | Reply You are 110% right. Now India should announce 'no series' and move on. Don't drag the drama. Do you have the guts to do it India?

Sam | 8 years ago | Reply @SL .. LOL your pak team is no challenge for us, both pak n Windies are outdated teams from past 10 years, you should be thankful to post Mumbai 2008 scenario that you didn't get much chance to face present indian team

Rohit | 8 years ago | Reply @Abid.....how about solving Kashmir first, cricket later

Chacha Jee | 8 years ago | Reply A lot is being said on MoU. MoUs are not contacts. However, in Indian and Pakistan' cricket playing MoU. It is clearly written that permission of Indian government is required to play series. Indian Government is clearly not interested and it is pakistan which is shamelessly not dropping it. The fact is it is not modi but indian public by large is not interested in having any ties. It is stange, when it comes to sports, Pakistan says do not involve politics but when it comes to trade then pakistan brings up Kashmir, Hurriyat etc

Sam | 8 years ago | Reply Whatever you said does not make sense. A series was promised and you are taking about team compositions. "Naach na jany, angan tyra"

PrasadDeccani | 8 years ago | Reply @SL: As far as I know, India did not play any international cricket match in UAE during the last 10+ years. It was a conscious decision taken by BCCI. Actually, this was mentioned in a Pakistani TV channel (Dawn, if I remember correctly) while BCCI-PCB 'fights' were goin on. What would have been a better question from you is - why did BCCI sign MOU to play matches at UAE with full knowledge about its own decision not to play international cricket at UAE. It is really foolish on the part of BCCI to agree to play at UAE much against its own decision.

Ajay | 8 years ago | Reply It is a matter of pity and shame that relation between our two cricket loving neighboring have come to such a stage that even playing cricket has become a controversial issue. The people in India are very much disillusioned and feel betrayed and hopeless about relation with Pakistan due to constant use of terrorism by Pakistan as a State Policy. Hope the people of both countries will be able to change it so our future generations can progress togethar in cooperation and harmony.

Gavaskarfan | 8 years ago | Reply Mr Gavaskar, I am absolutely no longer your fan as you have lost your soul and integrity as a player to Indian politics and cast a shadow on cricket as a sport. You are instrumental in dragging the beautiful game of cricket into politics....FairPlay which was the gentleman's game's credo has been punched on the nose by your comments here. You also forget the series of 1981-82 and 1982-83 when Indian team had to face Pakistan under Imran Khan at its mighty best. That Indian team was under utter and complete shadow of Pakistan... the world would wait for such contests... It saddens fans with your politically motivated statement....

Kickass | 8 years ago | Reply Another slap on the faces of Najam Sethi Shehryar and Waqar.

Revenge | 8 years ago | Reply @Anon: says who?

Anuj | 8 years ago | Reply ' Fear of Loss', to the no. 8th rank ODI team that has lost 10/12 series in UAE. The 2nd ranked T20 side whitewashed by Poms 3-0 and the team that plays ZIM twice to qualify for CT 2017. You must be high at present.

Anon | 8 years ago | Reply Gavvaskar sold his soul to the BCCI a long time ago... a shame really...

Abid | 8 years ago | Reply Shame on you Mr Gawaskar. Indian have no reason to refuse a "Promised Series" with Pakistan.. except fear of lost. And this is not against Pakistan... but against game of Cricket.

Sameer | 8 years ago | Reply Rightly said sunny sir, today cricket has lost its old charm, being an old hard core cricket lover , today i m rarely aware of names of the players playing in ind pak teams, there was a time when legends like Sachin, wasim shoaib, sehwag used to be the charm of indopak matches, i wish that era could be back again :(

Allah Hafiz | 8 years ago | Reply Thats why i like sunil Gavaskar...He as an Indian knows what actually Indian public wants and our prime minister also knows what majority of India wants....No government in India will go against public will....and for India as far as business is concerned i think this series will be peanuts...but for pakistan this can be a PSL game changer....and moreover India have got a series ahead in january in Australia...I think we should concentrate on that as that is more bigger series and bigger business than any other series for India.....

Vicky | 8 years ago | Reply Totally agreed with Mr Gavaskar... there was an era when high-profile players like Sachin, Sehwag, wasim, waqar, Shoaib, dravid, inzy, ganguly etc used to be part of classic indo-pak matches, and there used to be electrifying cricket between both teams.... but nowadays so many new and unknown faces coming n going in both teams which makes game quite unattractive

sam | 8 years ago | Reply I thought sport was about playing best available team in national colours. If people started playing each other only when ex players decide about what is exciting and what is not... then it is not sport anymore. I was expecting better than this from Sunil.. and in general from India than what they have to offer today.

SL | 8 years ago | Reply I fail to understand why India had decided not to play Pakistan in UAE? No newspaper or commentators had given the reason of their refusal to play in UAE, where they get massive Indian crowds. Is it because of past record of 18 loss as against 24 matches they played against Pakistan? Can any one tell me the Why???

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