"India vs Pakistan is more than just a game," says Ravi Shastri

Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has shared his thoughts on the intense India-Pakistan cricket rivalry ahead of their Champions Trophy 2025 clash. While India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, recently downplayed the importance of the fixture, Shastri believes the match carries much more weight.  

Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri said that when he was India's coach, he used to give the same response as Gambhir, treating it as just another match. However, he admitted that deep down, this fixture is different.  

"You have to say it. But deep down, you want to win that. Because if you don't, you'll be reminded of it until the next time you play against Pakistan," Shastri explained.  

He added that no matter how many games India wins, people will only remember the losses against Pakistan. "It can be a taxi driver, it could be anyone on the street. What happened to India? The same question to Pakistan. What happened to Pakistan? So it always plays on your mind," he said.  

Legendary Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting also agreed with Shastri's views, saying that certain rivalries have more edge than others.  

"When India plays New Zealand, the build-up won’t be as big as when India plays Pakistan," Ponting said. "It's not just media hype. Players definitely want to beat certain teams more than others."  

Ponting gave examples of other famous cricket rivalries, saying, "If you're an Indian, you want to beat Pakistan more. If you're a Pakistani, you want to beat India more. If you're an Australian, you want to beat England more and vice versa." 

India and Pakistan are in Group A of the Champions Trophy and will face each other on February 23 in Dubai. The last time they played at this venue in an ICC event was in 2021 when Pakistan won by 10 wickets.  

However, Shastri believes that result won’t affect India's mindset. "That was a T20 game. This is a 50-over clash. It’s totally different," he said.  

Shastri pointed out that longer formats suit India more. "In T20, you can get upset. In 50-over cricket, experience and depth make a big difference. When you compare India and Pakistan man to man, India is a far better and more experienced side."