India captain Suryakumar Yadav bluntly told reporters after India's Asia Cup win that "this is not a rivalry anymore," and then pointed to the cold math - a sequence of one-sided results in ICC events and T20s - to make his case. Below we unpack that claim, show the key stats (with charts), and weigh whether anecdotes and rankings really mean the rivalry is finished - or simply that Pakistan are in a rough patch right now.
4) Context: rivalry is more than a scoreboard - but results matter
A sporting rivalry is built on repeated, meaningful contests that are competitive, dramatic, and culturally charged. India-Pakistan cricket has all of those ingredients historically - political context, packed stadiums, huge viewership. But Surya's point is narrower and on-field: if one side keeps winning convincingly across marquee matches and ICC events, the "competitive" element fades and the fixture risks becoming predictable rather than a back-and-forth rivalry. The recent results and rankings shifts make that predictable narrative easier to argue.
5) Counterpoints - why the rivalry isn't necessarily "dead"
Rivalries breathe and ebb. A period of dominance doesn't erase decades of history, nor the social and emotional weight these fixtures carry across both countries. Even if Pakistan are down, a single big tournament or a comeback series could restore competitive balance quickly.
Format and sample size matter. Surya's remarks mostly referenced T20/ICC contests; Pakistan may still be stronger in other formats or in future cycles once selections, coaching and domestic structures stabilize.
Non-statistical moments still fuel the fixture: controversial incidents, political overtones, and moments on and off the field mean the match will continue to feel huge even when scoreboard margins are wide.
6) What the data says right now?
Short term: Surya Kumar's blunt assessment is supported by recent, one-sided results, Pakistan's troubling 2025 ODI numbers and downgrades in rankings. The facts he cited are real and explain why many see India-Pakistan as currently unbalanced.