‘Can’t imagine ICC event without IND vs PAK’: Chopra lambasts WTC 3 schedule
The story of the World Test Championships has been so near yet so far for the Indian team.
They have consistently been one of the better teams competing in the event, having reached both finals in 2021 and 2023, but have been on the losing side in the summit clash first to New Zealand and now to Australia at the recently-concluded match at the Oval. India has been a greatly successful side in Test cricket, but the heartbreak and disappointment of losing out in ICC tournament finals continues to be an albatross hanging on the Indian team’s neck.
The fans would be hoping that it ends in the third edition of the WTC, the schedule for which was shared by ICC recently.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra had a different contention with the WTC, questioning why the parent body doesn’t use its jurisdiction over the Test arena to influence the scheduling of the bilateral series within its cycle, in particular demanding a blockbuster series between India and Pakistan.
On his YouTube channel, Chopra questioned why the WTC doesn’t allow for a greater number of teams to play against over the period of its two-year cycle. “You don’t play against all teams. But this is WTC, it’s an ICC event. It has been 4 years now… can you imagine an ICC event without India vs Pakistan? This can never happen,” argued Chopra vociferously.
“It’s always at the start of the tournament so it gets off to a great start commercially. It gets the highest rating and people make money,” he continued.
India vs Pakistan is a matchup fans of both countries look forward to the most since the arch-rivals haven’t contested in a bilateral Test series since 2007. They only face each other in ICC events or Asia Cups.
Recent India-Pakistan matches have provided fireworks: both matches at last year’s Asia Cup went right down to the wire, while Pakistan’s huge 10-wicket win in the 2021 T20 World Cup and India’s Virat Kohli-charged last-ball victory in the 2023 edition in Melbourne remain iconic moments for either team.
“So, is WTC not an ICC event?” Chopra continued. “It’s an ICC mace, they host the final. So, all the matches that take place in the cycle should be in the purview of the ICC. It will be 6 years, and you didn’t have a single India-Pakistan series.”
“This is also an ICC event. If it’s not, make it clear. Call it bilateral cricket and accept that you have made WTC just to glamorize Tests,” concluded Chopra.
The stories of the rivalry between India and Pakistan will continue in the Asia Cup, where they have been placed in the same group. The match is set to take place in Sri Lanka.
After the continental tournament, the neighbours will meet in the 2023 ODI World Cup, being hosted by India. The two teams will face off at the state-of-the-art Motera stadium in Ahmedabad, no doubt in front of record crowds at the world’s largest cricket stadium. The desire to watch the two teams compete in a Test match, however still remains.