India shouldn't play Pakistan at all, says head coach Gautam Gambhir following Pahalgam attack

Gautam Gambhir is the head coach of senior men’s Indian Cricket Team.

Indian Cricket Team’s head coach Gautam Gambhir believes that India should not have any cricketing ties with Pakistan. His opinions come in the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. A group of terrorists opened fire in a tourist spot in Pahalgam and killed 26 innocent people.

A Pakistan-based terror group took responsibility for the attack. The Government of India has also taken strict actions over the matter. For instance, the Government of India has cancelled the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, shut down the Wagah-Attari border, and closed all diplomatic ties after the attack.

Notably, Indian Cricket Team does not play any bilateral cricket with Pakistan Cricket Team. Both nations have not faced each other in a bilateral series since 2013 due to severe political relations between both the countries. However, they both face each other only in the ICC and ACC tournaments. India haven’t even travelled to Pakistan for the ICC and ACC events in the recent years and have preferred neutral venues.

Gautam Gambhir wants India to never play cricket with Pakistan

Notably, Team India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 earlier this year in UAE. Pakistan were the designated hosts of the tournament. However, India played all of their matches in Dubai.

During an event by Indian news channel ABP News in Delhi on Tuesday, May 6, India head coach Gambhir was questioned whether India should play against Pakistan on neutral venues. To this, Gambhir opined that Indian Team should never play against Pakistan until terrorism stops.

“My personal answer to this is absolutely no. Till all this (terrorism) doesn’t stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan. I have said this before also, no cricket match or Bollywood or any other interaction is more important than the lives of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens,” he said.

Matches will keep happening, movies will be made, singers will continue to perform, but nothing comes close to losing a loved one in your family,” the former India opener further added.

However, when Gambhir was asked if he would convey his opinions to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), he said it’s a government decision eventually and everyone should follow their judgment in the matter.

“Ultimately, this is the government’s decision whether we play them or not,. This is not up to me, it’s not in my jurisdiction, this is for BCCI and more importantly, the government to decide whether we should play them or not. Whatever decision they make, we should be absolutely fine with it and not politicise it,” he further added.

Meanwhile, Indian players are currently busy with Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. They will commence their international commitments in June when they tour England for a five-match test series.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.