While speaking to Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist and former English skipper Michael Vaughan in a Club Prairie Fire Podcast released on Thursday, Sharma voiced his support for the resumption of bilateral cricket between the neighbours.
Pakistan and India have not played each other in the longest format of the game since 2007 as bilateral cricket between the two neighbours remains suspended.Since India hosted Pakistan in a limited-overs series in 2013, the pair have only competed against each other in World Cups and the Asia Cup.The last time they met was at the World Cup in October, where India steamrolled Pakistan by seven wickets in a lopsided contest at a heaving Narendra Modi Stadium.“At the end of the day, we want to be in [a] contest and I think it’ll be a great contest within the two sides,” he said.He said that he expected the game to be a “good contest” given Pakistan’s “superb bowling lineup”, adding that it would be “awesome” if the match is played at a neutral venue.In 2022, the England Cricket Board offered to become “neutral hosts” for a future Pakistan-India Test series.In response to Vaughan’s question whether the neighbours playing Tests would benefit the format, Sharma said that he “totally believed it would”.“It’s just pure cricket that I’m looking at. I’m not interested in anything else. It’s pure cricket game between bat and ball and it will be a great contest. So why not?” Sharma said.