Rohit Sharma expresses willingness for India, Pakistan bilateral Test series

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma has expressed his support for the idea of regular Test series between India and Pakistan, emphasizing the potential for an exciting contest and its positive impact on Test cricket.

During a conversation on the podcast "Club Prairie Fire" with former England captain Michael Vaughan, Rohit Sharma shared his views on the prospect of India facing Pakistan in Test matches on a regular basis. 

Vaughan asked Rohit: “Don’t you think India playing Pakistan regularly will be fantastic for Test cricket?”

Responding to Vaughan's query, Rohit expressed his belief in the idea, highlighting Pakistan's formidable bowling lineup and the competitive nature of matches played in overseas conditions.

“I totally believe that. They are a good team. They have got superb bowling line-up. I think it would be a good contest, especially if you play in the overseas condition. That would be awesome," Rohit answered.

Acknowledging the historical context of Test matches between India and Pakistan, Rohit recalled the last encounter between the two teams in 2007, where Wasim Jaffar scored a double hundred in Kolkata. 

“Last test match played between India and Pakistan was way back I think in 2006 or 2008 (2007), where Wasim Jaffar got a double hundred in Kolkata,” he further added.

When asked by Vaughan if he would like to see a regular series with Pakistan, Rohit affirmed his interest, stating his desire for meaningful competition. 

"I would love to. At the end of the day, we want to be in contest. I think it will be a great contest between the two sides. We anyway play them in the ICC tournaments. So, it doesn’t even matter. I am only interested in pure cricket. I am not looking at anything else," Rohit said.

Lastly, Rohit emphasized his focus on the purity of cricket and the battle between bat and ball.

“It’s just pure cricket. A battle between bat and ball. It will be a great contest so why not," he concluded.

It is worth noting that India and Pakistan have not engaged in a bilateral Test series since 2007, with their last encounter occurring when Pakistan toured India. The series concluded with India securing a 1-0 victory. Since the 2012-13 season, bilateral cricket between the two rivals has been notably absent, with their meetings limited to multi-nation tournaments such as the ICC World Cups and Asia Cup competitions.