The Indian cricket team’s decision to avoid shaking hands with their Pakistani counterparts during the Asia Cup 2025 sparked a major controversy. After India’s victory in the group-stage match, captain Suryakumar Yadav did not exchange pleasantries with Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha, and the rest of the Indian players followed his lead. The same approach was repeated in their subsequent encounters. This move stemmed from the ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attacks.
Ahead of the upcoming ODI series, Australian cricketers—both men and women—mocked India’s handshake decision through a video.
The video, shared on social media by Kayo Sports, featured an anchor saying: “We all know India is on its way. But we've identified one critical weakness.”
Another anchor added: “We know that they're not huge fans of the traditional greeting (handshake), so we can throw them off before we've even bowled a ball.”
Players from both the Australian men’s and women’s teams then appeared in the video, suggesting different greetings they could use with the Indian cricketers.
AUS players pre-India clip mocks India no-handshake theatre vs Pak. Why Aussie media & players laughing at stance sold as national pride? @BCCI @JayShah @GautamGambhir @narendramodi @ICC @MithunManhas @vikrantgupta73 @rawatrahul9 @mufaddal_vohra @PadmajaJoshi @ShivAroor pic.twitter.com/lSbuyhEcui
— Maham Fazal (@MahamFazal_) October 14, 2025
Mitchell Marsh makes an appearance, and the Australia white-ball captain took a leaf out of Travis Head's playbook as he enacted the “finger in the ice cup.”
Australia spinner Sophie Molineux mocked the Indian team as she first raised her hand and then lifted her two middle fingers.
Pacer Josh Hazlewood remained cheeky throughout, saying, “What about the shooter?”
The clip concluded with Marsh, Hazlewood, Grace Harris, and the anchors bursting into laughter.