Jaishankar weighs in on India-Pakistan standoff over Champions Trophy, gives 1983 analogy

Champions Trophy: S Jaishankar clears country's stand even if ICC goes for no India. (Photo: X)

Amid India's decision to not travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has used a cricket analogy to illustrate India's foreign policy stance towards Pakistan.

Jaishankar explained that India's approach to Pakistan has moved from the "traditional side-on position" to an "open-chested position" while speaking at an event on the release of ex-India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath's memoir 'Fearless'.

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"You mentioned that your performance improved after switching from the traditional side-on stance to an open-chested position; this shift perfectly mirrors our current policy towards Pakistan," Jaishankar commented, reflecting on India's historic tour of Pakistan back in 1982. This tour featured notable cricket legends such as Amarnath, Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev, but it ultimately resulted in a disheartening 3-0 defeat in the six-match Test series.

Highlighting cricket's role in shaping India's identity, Jaishankar underscored the transformative impact of India's 1983 World Cup victory. He noted that while Pakistan and Sri Lanka went on to win the trophy in later years, neither victory had the same groundbreaking effect as India’s triumph. He emphasized that the 1983 win marked a turning point, redefining India's position in world cricket.

"It was not just the inflection point, but the man of the match of the inflection point. Pakistan won it at one point and Sri Lanka won it at one point. But nowhere else was it as big an inflection point as it was in the history of cricket. Because, if you look at India's role in world cricket after 1983, it fundamentally changed," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar's remarks come amid renewed focus on India-Pakistan relations, as Pakistan prepares to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The BCCI has already informed the PCB that India will not travel across the border for the tournament.

India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, following the fallout from the Mumbai terrorist attacks, which led to bilateral ties between the two nations reaching a historic low. The BCCI subsequently suspended all bilateral cricketing engagements with the PCB, and the two teams have not played a Test against each other since 2007.

Since the 2012/13 season, India and Pakistan have faced off only in ICC events and the Asia Cup. Jaishankar’s recent statements suggest that the Indian government is unlikely to change its stance, even if the ICC proceeds with the Champions Trophy 2025 without India's participation.