Cricket a very small thing and life of our soldiers more important: Gautam Gambhir on ties with Pakistan

When asked about the sporting ties with the neighboring country, Gautam Gambhir reiterated that the "life of our soldiers is more important" and said: "Cricket is a very small thing and the life of our soldiers is more important. So, till the time cross-border terrorism does not get over, there should not be any relationship with Pakistan."

Former India opener and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir (PTI/File Photo)

New Delhi: Former India opener and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir on Friday said that there should not be any relation with Pakistan till cross-border terrorism gets over. Global terror financing watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Thursday retained Pakistan on its "grey list" till June after concluding that Islamabad failed to address its strategically important deficiencies, to fully implement the 27-point action plan that the watchdog had drawn up for Pakistan.

"Till the time cross border terrorism does not get over, I don`t think there should be any kind of relationship with Pakistan because the life of our soldiers is more important than anything," Gambhir told ANI. 

#WATCH Cricket is a very small thing, lives of our soldiers are more important. So, there should not be any relationship with Pakistan till cross-border terrorism stops: BJP MP Gautam Gambhir pic.twitter.com/PUOArMZZlM — ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2021

When asked about the sporting ties with the neighboring country, Gambhir reiterated that the "life of our soldiers is more important" and said: "Cricket is a very small thing and the life of our soldiers is more important. So, till the time cross-border terrorism does not get over, there should not be any relationship with Pakistan."

Riding on brilliant spells of spin bowling from Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin, India registered a comprehensive 10-wicket win over England in the pink-ball Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday to go 2-1 up in the four-match series.

READ | 'Not sure if that's good for Test cricket': Former cricketers slam Motera pitch

Some former cricketers like Michael Vaughan had criticised the pitch. "Let`s be honest this is not a 5 day Test pitch !! #INDvENG," Vaughan had tweeted.

Let’s be honest this is not a 5 day Test pitch !! #INDvENG — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 25, 2021

When asked about the Motera pitch, Gambhir said: "It is a matter for ICC to look into. I do not want to comment on that. I think England batsmen should look at their techniques."