India’s former captain Sourav Ganguly recently made a jab against the Pakistan cricket team, saying they no longer could be considered a force in international cricket. In an interview with the media in Kolkata upon the defeat of Pakistan against India in the Asian Cup 2025, Ganguly made it very clear that he could no longer watch the Pakistan team, as they had lost their standards.
Ganguly gave an example of how, on the day of the much-anticipated match, he ended up changing the match to the Manchester derby in the initial 15 overs of the game, which showed that he never bothered to watch the game. Pakistan is no longer a competitive side, I have changed my television set to the Manchester derby after the early 15 overs, Ganguly said. His remarks left people surprised, more so in light of the bitter competition between India and Pakistan in the sport of cricket.
The 53-year-old further said that he would have preferred to watch other teams, such as India, Australia, England, South Africa, or even Afghanistan, play, rather than watch Pakistan play. The sentiments expressed by Ganguly are indicative of an increasing trend that Pakistan is failing to compete on the top level in the world of international cricket. He reminisced on the golden times of Pakistan cricket when they had legends such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Javed Miandad, but added that these days were a distant past.
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There is no competition between the Indian and the Pakistani anymore, added Ganguly. His commentary highlights the increasing disparity between the two cricketing countries. Although India has consistently produced top players and can still be considered a powerhouse in the world of cricket, Pakistan’s performance has deteriorated over the past few years.
Ganguly identified the contrast between the former and the current Pakistan cricket team. We are always thinking of Pakistan as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younises, the Saeed Anwars, and Javed Miandad. However, it is not so with this present-day Pakistan; now, it is chalk and cheese, as he said. The former BCCI official opined that the quality and consistency of the current team are not of the same caliber as the previous legends in Pakistan, which have led to poor performances on the international stage of the game.
Ganguly also stated that India has been able to play remarkably well despite the absence of some of its megastars, like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. This (Indian) team has been playing without the two mainstays of Indian cricket, Kohli and Rohit, who have played for such a long time. Although these star players are missing, India still reigns in the global arena, which, as Ganguly notes, underscores the level to which India is well ahead of Pakistan and most of the other teams in the Asia Cup.
The remark was a wake-up call to Pakistani fans who had been living in hope that one day their team would rise to the glory it once had. These words by Ganguly imply that the disparity between India and Pakistan regarding cricketing standards is increasing, and it is something that must be taken care of by the Pakistan cricket board and management.
Although Pakistan has had its bright moments, the country has been unable to maintain consistency, and this factor has hindered its progress in major tournaments. These comments may disappoint Pakistan fans who have also witnessed some great cricketing eras in the past. Nevertheless, they also remind us that the team should focus on improving their game and return to the level of competitiveness they were formerly recognized for.
