ICC Champions Trophy 2025: S Jaishankar clears country's stand even if ICC goes for No India

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

S Jaishankar made the comments at an event on the release of former India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath's memoir 'Fearless'. Jaishankar said that India's policy towards Pakistan has moved from the "traditional side-on position" to an "open-chested position".

S Jaishankar makes India's stand clear

"You said you played them better because, from the traditional side-on position, you now move to an open-chested position. I couldn't have found a better description for a Pakistan policy that time," Jaishankar said.

Jaishankar was referring to India's tour of Pakistan in 1982. Several legendary cricketers such as Amarnath, Sunil Gavaskar, and Kapil Dev were in the Indian team for that tour. India had suffered a 3-0 loss in the six-match Test series.

1983 World Cup remembered by External Affairs Minister

Speaking further, Jaishankar highlighted the importance of India's win in the 1983 World Cup. He said that even though Pakistan and Sri Lanka won the tournament later, it did not have the same impact on cricket as India's historic win. He pointed out that India's role in the cricketing world changed fundamentally after the World Cup triumph.

"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.

Champions Trophy fate will be decided today.

EAM @DrSJaishankar wonderfully co-related foreign policy with cricket at the launch of Mohinder Amarnath’s Fearless.

Here’s EAM on cricket and India’s Pak policy.

My take- Ind won’t travel to Pak and its clear. @RevSportzGlobal pic.twitter.com/b0empoQBLV

— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) November 29, 2024

India not to travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025

Jaishankar's comments have come at a time when India and Pakistan's bilateral relationship is once again in the news. While Pakistan have the hosting rights for the Champions Trophy 2025, the BCCI has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that India won't be crossing the border for the tournament.

India have not visited Pakistan since 2008 as the bilateral relation between the two countries hit an all-time low post the terrorist attack in Mumbai. The BCCI also suspended all bilateral ties with the PCB. Both the teams have not played a Test against each other since 2007.

Since the 2012/13 season, India and Pakistan have played against each other only in ICC competitions and the Asia Cup. And if Jaishankar's recent remarks are anything to go by then one can say that the Indian government is highly unlikely to soften its stance against Pakistan even if ICC holds ICC Champions Trophy 2025 without India.