India will tour Australia for ODI and T20I series, starting on 19 October
Aussies mocked India’s no-handshake policy ahead of the 2025 ODI series
India’s stance honors Pahalgam attack victims and reflects geopolitical tensions
The tone for the upcoming India vs Australia white-ball series has been set, and it already has controversy written all over it. Before a ball has even been bowled, tensions flared after a video shared by Australian broadcaster Kayo Sports went viral for mocking India’s no-handshake policy. The Men in Blue are set to begin their limited-overs tour of Australia from October 19.
India’s no-handshake stance, introduced during the Asia Cup 2025 clashes against Pakistan, was not a random act of defiance. It was a symbolic gesture of solidarity with the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives earlier this year. The attack intensified geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces targeting terror camps across the border.
Australian Cricketers Join Banter Storm With Controversial Gestures
The viral promo by Kayo Sports opens with anchors joking about India’s “critical weakness”, their decision to avoid handshakes. In the clip, Mitchell Marsh, Australia’s white-ball captain, jokingly imitates a viral on-field moment from teammate Travis Head, while Josh Hazlewood goes a step further with a gun-hand gesture, quipping, “What about the shooter?”
Watch the video:
What drew the most backlash online, however, was the involvement of Australia women’s spinner Sophie Molineux, who mockingly lifted her hands before flashing a blurred-out gesture assumed to be her middle fingers. The video ended with Marsh, Hazlewood and Grace Harris breaking into laughter, making it clear this wasn’t harmless pre-series hype, it was an intentional troll at India’s political stand.
India Took a Moral Stand; PCB Chief Turned It Political
India’s decision to skip handshakes during the Asia Cup wasn’t received well in Pakistan, where cricketers responded with provocation of their own, some players were seen making fighter jet gestures during matches, believed to be a dig at India’s military operations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Even Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi, who doubles as Pakistan’s Interior Minister, publicly stoked the narrative on social media.
The situation escalated when Team India refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from Naqvi. After which, the PCB chief took the trophy away with himself and denied to handover it to Team India. With that context still fresh, Australia’s promo was seen by Indian fans as cheap opportunism, playing with sensitive military sentiments for views.
