India-Pakistan Test is Far from Reality

Recently, the International Cricket Council published the schedule of the ICC Test Championship and One Day tournaments. The two tournaments are to be held between 2018 to 2022 respectively. As things stand, nine teams will play six Tests (three at home and three at away) among each other. The Indian Cricket team will kick-start their campaign with a two-match series against the West Indies in 2019 July and August. Interestingly there won’t be any India-Pakistan Test series any time soon.

The arch-rivals last played a Test match against each other in December 2007. That was when Pakistan toured India for a three-match Tests series in India. The two nations never seen eye to eye and altercations between the BCCI and the PCB was an average Tuesday.

The countries’ interpersonal relationship is frosty to say the least. In fact, the Indian government forbade the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from maintaining any ties with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). With that in mind, the BCCI refused to negotiate with the ICC for tests versus their arch-rivals.

“The Government of India told us very clearly that there would be no bilateral cricket with Pakistan. The Government doesn’t encourage, as a policy, bilateral cricket with Pakistan,” said Vinod Rai, Chairman of the Committee of Administrators (COA).

In terms of bilateral limited-overs series, they last played in 2013 when Pakistan toured India. The visitors won the series by 2-1 with the Men in Blue winning their only match at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. However, India will not completely avoid Pakistan, the two will meet eventually.

Meanwhile, India will go up against the Windies, South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Australia and England in the span of two years. Sarfraz Ahmed’s men will lock horns with Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and New Zealand during the Championship.

It is probably safe to say that there will be no India-Pakistan series any time soon. The only chance of them meeting is during a World Cup tie.