Aakash Chopra Slams WTC Schedule: ‘ICC Event Without India Vs Pakistan’

Aakash Chopra raised a question about the ICC's role in ensuring that India and Pakistan don't face each other in the World Test Championship.

Aakash Chopra, the former Indian opener.

The Indian team has experienced a bittersweet journey in the World Test Championship (WTC). Despite being consistently strong contenders, reaching the finals in 2021 and 2023, they have faced defeat on both occasions. First, against New Zealand and now against Australia in the recently concluded match at the Oval. Although India has been highly successful in Test cricket, the disappointment of losing in the ICC tournament finals continues to haunt them.

Fans are hoping for a different outcome in the third edition of the WTC, as recently shared by the ICC.

Aakash Chopra, the former Indian opener, expressed his concerns about the WTC, questioning why the ICC does not utilise its influence over the Test arena to schedule a bilateral series within the WTC cycle. He specifically demanded a high-profile series between India and Pakistan, emphasising the significance of such a match in an ICC event.

Chopra argued on his YouTube channel that India vs Pakistan encounters are integral to ICC events and have always been scheduled at the beginning of tournaments to generate commercial success and high ratings. He highlighted the absence of an India-Pakistan series in the past six years, suggesting that if the WTC is indeed an ICC event, all matches within its cycle should fall under the ICC's jurisdiction.

“You don't play against all teams. But this is WTC, it's an ICC event. It has been 4 years now... can you imagine an ICC event without India vs Pakistan? This can never happen,” said Chopra on his channel. 

“This is also an ICC event. If it's not, make it clear. Call it bilateral cricket and accept that you have made WTC just to glamorize Tests,” Chopra added.

While the rivalry between India and Pakistan continues in events like the Asia Cup, where they are placed in the same group, the desire to witness a Test match between the two teams remains unfulfilled. The upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup, hosted by India, will provide another opportunity for the teams to meet, but the longing for a Test match between them persists.