Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra shared his thoughts on why tickets for the upcoming India versus Pakistan match in the Asia Cup are not selling out as quickly as expected. He pointed to the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as a major factor. Chopra explained that both players are huge crowd-pullers, and their absence has a proportional impact on ticket sales. “When Virat went to play a Ranji Trophy match, even then the stadium almost filled up. Their absence is one of the big reasons why tickets are not getting filled,” he said.
He also noted that even in the UAE, where cricket fans usually fill stadiums quickly, grounds have remained partially empty. Bangladesh, India, and Afghanistan have already played matches in the tournament, but no stadium has seen full capacity so far. Chopra clarified that this is not because tickets are overpriced or due to the working community in the UAE finding it difficult to attend weekday evening games.
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He highlighted just how much of a difference Rohit and Kohli make when they are playing. “If they were present, the turnout could have been double. Hypothetically, if 5,000 people came earlier, at least 10,000 to 15,000 would have come to watch if Rohit and Kohli were there. They rarely get the chance to see them in person, so their absence is significant,” he added. India will take on Pakistan on 14 September, Sunday, in Dubai.