Sourav Ganguly comments on India’s missed opportunity to play in Pakistan during the Champions Trophy 2025, highlighting political tensions and security concerns. He emphasizes India’s strong chances against New Zealand in the finals while acknowledging the need for improvements in red-ball cricket. Ganguly’s statements underline the challenges faced by players due to geopolitical situations.
Sourav Ganguly, former Indian cricket captain, expressed that Indian players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are missing the chance to play in Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions. His comments were made during a discussion about India’s participation in the Champions Trophy 2025, where all their matches are set to take place in Dubai, rather than in Pakistan, the tournament’s host country.
Ganguly emphasized that India’s ability to play in Dubai was not voluntary; rather, it was a necessary decision made due to security concerns preventing travel to Pakistan. He stated, “What’s the choice? … It’s because they can’t go to Pakistan, the government of India doesn’t allow them to go to Pakistan.”
Highlighting the disparity in conditions, Ganguly noted that Indian players would likely feel regret for not being able to play on pitches in Karachi and Lahore, which have seen significantly higher scores than those recorded in Dubai. For instance, while India’s highest score in Dubai was 267/6 against Australia, three scores above 350 were made during the tournament matches held in Pakistan.
Ganguly also shared his memory of when Pakistan was awarded the Champions Trophy hosting rights in 2020, explaining his role in the allocation process. He reflected on India’s past successes in the tournament, mentioning that they were runners-up in 2000 and joint-winners in 2002.
Discussing the final match against New Zealand, Ganguly recognized them as a difficult opponent but favored India’s chances due to their strong batting lineup and effective spin bowling, stating, “I think India’s batting is stronger. We also have formidable spinners. India are the favourites.”
Lastly, Ganguly applauded India’s recent achievements in white-ball cricket, having reached the finals of multiple ICC events for 2023 and 2024. However, he stressed the need for improvement in red-ball cricket, indicating that this is an area the Indian team, captained by Rohit Sharma, must focus on moving forward.
Sourav Ganguly articulates the challenges faced by the Indian cricket team regarding the Champions Trophy 2025 being played solely in Dubai due to security issues surrounding travel to Pakistan. He reflects on the missed opportunity for players to compete on Pakistani pitches, discusses the strengths of India’s team in the upcoming final against New Zealand, and calls for improvements in red-ball cricket performance. Ganguly’s insights shed light on the complexities surrounding cricket relations between India and Pakistan.
Original Source: www.livemint.com
