Mohammed Azharuddin Discusses India-Pakistan Cricket Rivalry and Test Performance

Azharuddin's Insights on India-Pakistan Cricket Dynamics

Dharwad (Karnataka) [India], July 27: Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin has shared his thoughts on several hot topics in cricket, including the upcoming Asia Cup match between India and Pakistan, the decision of veteran players to skip the World Championship of Legends (WCL) against Pakistan, and India's current performance in the fourth Test against England in Manchester.

Regarding the highly anticipated India-Pakistan match set for September 14 under the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), Azharuddin stated, “I believe that if bilateral matches are not taking place, then international events should also not occur. Everything should either happen or not happen at all.”

His comments come amid ongoing political tensions that have affected sporting relations between India and Pakistan, leading to the suspension of bilateral series for several years.

Azharuddin also commented on the trend of Indian veterans opting out of their match against Pakistan in the privately organized World Championship of Legends, saying, “This is a matter for the board and the government. The veterans’ league is not official; it’s not sanctioned by the ICC or the BCCI, whereas the Asia Cup is governed by the ACC.”

On India's performance in the fourth Test against England, he remarked, “The bowling was not up to par, and the batting could have produced more runs, but such things happen in cricket.” He noted India's struggles as England amassed a formidable 669 runs in response to India's first innings total of 358.

However, he praised the Indian team's efforts in their second innings, where they ended Day 4 at 174/2, still trailing by 137 runs. “Both Rahul (KL) and Gill (Shubman) played exceptionally well today. I hope they can score big runs,” he expressed with optimism.

As Day 5 approaches in Manchester, India will resume with Gill not out on 78 and Rahul on 87, while England will be looking for early breakthroughs, hoping for assistance from the pitch and their captain Ben Stokes, whose fitness is being monitored.