"It would not be in cricket's interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy" - ECB Chairman Richard Thompson

England Cricket Board's (ECB) chairman Richard Thompson believes India's presence is indispensible for the 2025 Champions Trophy to take place. With Pakistan as the designated hosts of the tournament, Thompson reckons the stakeholders will find a way to conduct the event amicably.

Due to the tension between each other's cricketing boards and goverments, India and Pakistan have ceased to hold bilateral series. While Pakistan last toured India to play bilateral series in 2012-13, the latter hasn't visited the neighboring country since 2008.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday (October 16), the 58-year-old said he is looking forward to the decision the incoming ICC chairman Jay Shah makes regarding the tournament. As quoted by ESPN Cricinfo, he stated:

"It would not be in cricket's interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy. It's interesting, with Jay Shah - the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC - [who] is going to have a big role to play in that. There's geopolitics, and then there's cricketing geopolitics. I think they'll find a way. They have to find a way."

Pakistan were also the hosts of the Asia Cup held last year, but the Men in Blue played their matches in Sri Lanka. With the Indian government unlikely to clear the men's team from traveling to Pakistan, a hybrid model could be on the cards again.

"These things tend to go to the wire" - Richard Thompson

Richard Thompson (Image Credits: ECB Twitter)

Thompson added that matters between India and Pakistan in cricket usually 'go down to the wire' before coming to a conclusion, claiming:

"That's between India and Pakistan, and I think they will find a way where India will participate in the Champions Trophy… These things tend to go to the wire, as history has shown us, so I think that in those [last] six months, they'll find a way."

Pakistan are also the defending champions, having beaten India by 180 runs in the 2017 Champions Trophy final at The Oval. Australia and India have two Champions Trophy titles each.