The build-up to the Asia Cup 2025 has taken another turn, with legendary Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar weighing in on the debate surrounding the India-Pakistan encounter. The former opener stressed that players are “helpless” in such matters and must follow directions from the authorities.
Tensions between the two nations have once again cast a shadow over their on-field rivalry. Social media has been abuzz with calls to boycott Pakistan across various sports, and the debate intensified after the India Champions side declined to play against Pakistan in the Legends League.
However, in the Asia Cup, the clash remains very much on the schedule. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed India’s participation when announcing the squad on August 19, setting the stage for a blockbuster meeting with Pakistan on September 14 in Dubai.
Speaking to Indian media, Gavaskar defended the players, insisting that decisions of this magnitude are well beyond their control.
“If the government has taken a call, I don’t see how the players can be criticised or commented upon, because the players at the end of the day are contracted to the BCCI and they will be taking instructions from the government of India,” Gavaskar said.
“The players are helpless in this. They’ve been selected to play in the Asia Cup, and if the government says you have to play, then they will go out and play. If the government says you don’t, then the BCCI will act accordingly,” he added.
The Asia Cup will run from September 9 to 28, with matches in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Group A features India, Pakistan, UAE, and Oman, while Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.
India will begin their campaign against the UAE on September 10 in Dubai, followed by the much-anticipated showdown against Pakistan on September 14. Their final group-stage fixture against Oman will be played on September 19 in Abu Dhabi. The Super Four stage will follow from September 20 to 26, before the grand final in Dubai on September 28.
India Squad for Asia Cup 2025
Suryakumar Yadav (C), 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.
With politics once again looming large over cricket, fans around the world will be hoping the focus eventually shifts back to the game itself—especially when the two giants of Asian cricket face off under the lights in Dubai.
