Former Indian captain Kapil Dev has refused to criticise Pakistan’s decision to not play against India, saying such matters fall under government and cricket board policy.
Kapil shared his views during a recent talk show on Indian television when asked about the ongoing standoff between the two teams.
The host pointed to the growing divide between the countries in cricket and asked, “They say they won’t play on our ground, and we won’t play on theirs. How do you see this?”
Kapil made it clear that he did not see it as his responsibility to comment. “Honestly, it’s not my job. This is the government’s responsibility and the cricket board’s responsibility. What do I have to do with it?” he questioned.
When asked whether such barriers should exist in cricket, Kapil again chose to avoid taking sides. “Look, what I feel or don’t feel doesn’t really matter. What matters is the policy of the country,” he said.
The former World Cup winning captain stressed that public statements from former players often complicate matters. “Whatever the country’s policy is, people like us should stand by it. When people like us start giving statements, it ends up confusing the public,” Kapil said.
He added that he preferred not to influence public opinion. “I’m not here to confuse anyone. Let’s stand by our government, let’s stand by our cricket board. Whether they are right or wrong, time will tell,” he said.
The Government of Pakistan recently announced it that the greenshirts will participate in the T20 World Cup 2026 but will not play against India.
The decision came in response to what Pakistan described as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) unfair handling of Bangladesh’s security concerns ahead of the tournament in India and Sri Lanka.
