'Peace at borders first': Sunil Gavaskar on India-Pakistan bilateral cricket

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has weighed in on the possibility of resuming bilateral cricket ties between India and Pakistan, emphasising that peace at the borders is a prerequisite for any such discussions.
Speaking on the cricket show Dressing Room, Gavaskar stated that political tensions and security concerns remain the biggest obstacles to the resumption of bilateral cricket.
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"Frankly, by having peace at the borders. It’s very simple. If there’s peace at the borders, then I think both governments will certainly say, 'Look, okay, we’ve had no incidents, nothing at all. So let’s at least start with talking,’" Gavaskar remarked.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13, and India have not toured Pakistan since 2005-06. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also refused to send its team across the border for major tournaments, including the 2023 Asia Cup and the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, instead opting for a hybrid model with matches at neutral venues.

Gavaskar acknowledged that there could be diplomatic efforts behind the scenes but stressed the need for sustained peace.
"I’m pretty certain there will be some back-channel connections going on. But you want to see what’s happening both on the ground and off the ground because of the fact that there are incursions we hear about. That’s the reason why the Indian government is saying, 'Look, maybe until all that stops, we should not even look at having or talking about anything,’" he explained.
India recently extended their dominance over Pakistan in ICC tournaments, securing a six-wicket victory in their Champions Trophy group-stage clash. Pakistan, on the other hand, suffered a humiliating exit, losing both their completed matches and failing to qualify for the semifinals.