Asia Cup 2025: Sunil Gavaskar Blasts BCCI Over India-Pakistan Clash, Says ‘Players Are Helpless’

Earlier, former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has made a strong statement on the raging debate over whether India will be participating in the Asia Cup 2025 or not. As political tension increases after the Pahalgam terrorist attack, the demand to boycott the clash between India and Pakistan has increased. Gavaskar though, demanded that players must obey as per the official instructions.

Asia Cup 2025 and player responsibility

Various factions have asked India to boycott the matches against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 citing the loss of lives in Jammu and Kashmir. Two planned India-Pakistan matches at the World Championship of Legends in earlier this year were also called off when former cricketers such as Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh declined to participate.

Gavaskar told the critics that it is the national cricket players who do not make such decisions. BCCI and the Indian government are the ones who dictate to the players to take the field or not as he says.

“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 the instructions from the government of India. And so it entirely depends on that,” Gavaskar told India Today.

India vs Pakistan clash under spotlight

The Asia Cup 2025 has become a hotbed due to the India vs Pakistan match on September 14, in Dubai. Gavaskar feels that we should not criticize the cricketers because they cannot defy what the authorities ask them to do.

“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 said.

Gavaskar puts onus on government, not BCCI

When he was asked whether Indian players should boycott matches with Pakistan, Gavaskar was categorical that it is solely the government which has to take the call. He once more pointed out that players cannot boycott matches in tournaments like the Asia Cup 2025 by their own.

“Like I said, it is entirely up to the government of India to tell the BCCI what to do,” Gavaskar re-iterated. His words underline how cricketing decisions, especially those involving Pakistan, go beyond sport and rest firmly on political directions.

India’s Asia Cup 2025 fixtures ahead

Despite the off-field noise, India’s Asia Cup campaign is set to begin on September 10 with a match against the UAE in Dubai. After their marquee clash with Pakistan on September 14, the team will face Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

The tournament will then move to the Super 4 stage starting September 20. If India tops their group, all their Super 4 games will be played in Dubai. However, if they finish second, one of their matches will shift to Abu Dhabi. The final of the Asia Cup 2025 is scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.

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