Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday said arch-rivals India and Pakistan should resume their cricket rivalry and play more bilateral series in the coming years. 

India last played Pakistan in a bilateral series when they hosted the neighbours for a three-match One-Day International (ODI) in December 2012. 

"I do believe India and Pakistan should play cricket, because my view of the India and Pakistan relationship is that we, unfortunately, are not going to go too far with diplomatic contacts through them," Tharoor, who was present as a panel member to discuss about cricket as Indian democracy's alter ego, said at the Times Lit Festival here. 

Former Indian cricketer Bishen Singh Bedi who was also present here as a panel member said: "Cricket for me is an enormous romance, to play this game as it is ought to be played