India, Pakistan receive proposal for first Test series in 19 years as T20 World Cup game cleared: ‘3-match series in UK’

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has proposed a Test series between India and Pakistan.

Now that the coast is clear for the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match as initially planned, Michael Vaughan has proposed what cricket fans all over the world want to see: a Test series between the two rivals. The former England captain has insisted on the need for an India-Pakistan Test series after almost two decades, believing that the UK could play the ideal host. Vaughan’s suggestion comes hours after the PCB-ICC deadlock ended, paving the way for the much-anticipated India-Pakistan clash this coming Sunday, at Colombo.

Will there ever again be an India-Pakistan bilateral series? (AFP)

After the Pakistan government agreed to play India on February 15, Vaughan posted on X, “It’s great for the competition and cricket. We need them to somehow play a Test series soon as well. The UK would be a great place to host a 3-match series.”

Due to political tensions between the two countries, India and Pakistan haven’t played a Test series in 19 years; the last series was in 2007. Pakistan toured India for an ODI and Test series, losing 2-3 and 0-1 respectively. 2007 was, in fact, the fourth year in a row that India and Pakistan played bilaterals. In 2004, India visited Pakistan for the first time since 1989 for a full-fledged tour and clinched both the ODI and Test series. India did travel once in 1997 for a short three-match ODI series as part of the Wills Challenge Series to commemorate 50 years of Pakistan’s independence, though. In 2005, it was Pakistan’s turn to return the favour as they won the ODIs 4-2 and drew the Tests 1-1. In 2006, India toured Pakistan again, and while they lost the Tests 0-1 despite Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick heroics in Karachi, Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni starred in a 4-1 ODI win.

Why it won't happen

However, the prospects of an India-Pakistan series, in any format or under any circumstances, appear slim. A lot of damage has been inflicted outside the field, affecting cricket and on-field relations. India and Pakistan haven’t played each other in a bilateral series since 2012-2013, and it’s likely to stay that way. With PCB and BCCI outrightly refusing to travel to each other’s countries, arranging a Test series – albeit at a neutral venue – remains a far-fetched idea. Based on all that transpired last year in Pahalgam, or in 2019 in Pulwama, the only possible way to watch an India-Pakistan series is in dreams.

The ICC, despite being the apex cricketing body, does not have the authority to sanction an India-Pakistan series, as the final stamp of approval must come from the two governments. And the answer to that is known. In fact, even during the three-way meeting involving the Pakistan Cricket Board, the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council, a demand was made to organise a tri-series featuring India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The ICC had to turn it down, saying it ‘wasn’t our domain’.

India vs Pakistan remains cricket’s holy grail in terms of generating revenue, ad sales, boosting the hospitality industry, ratings, and whatnot. Back in the 1990s, 2000s and even 2010s, when India played Pakistan, roads would become empty. Cut to the 2020s, and the only reason Indo-Pak contests continue to generate hype is their rarity. A huge gulf exists in the quality of cricket between the two countries. With Pakistan winning only three matches over the last nine years, the rivalry has become much more one-sided.