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Suryakumar Yadav’s no-handshake drama flips; BCCI source reveals snub wasn’t limited to Pakistan captain Salman Agha
A BCCI source added a fresh twist to the no-handshake drama, pointing out that Suryakumar Yadav's act was not Pakistan-specific.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav and his Pakistan counterpart Salman Agha turned heads even before the first ball was bowled on Sunday, as the two did not engage in the customary handshake after the toss for their Group A Asia Cup 2025 match at the Dubai International Stadium. The stance was linked to significant political tension between the two nations in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year. However, a BCCI source added a fresh twist to the drama, pointing out that Suryakumar's act was not Pakistan-specific.
A handshake between two captains after the toss during any competitive match is more of a custom than a rule. But on Sunday, neither of the skippers initiated a handshake, nor did they make any eye contact. After Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first, Suryakumar and Salman submitted their respective team sheets to the match referee, Andy Pycroft, spoke with the TV commentator Ravi Shastri, who was conducting the toss, and then headed back to their respective dugouts.
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The sight instantly drew the attention of the cricket fraternity; however, a BCCI source in the know of things told PTI on the condition of anonymity that Suryakumar did not engage in a handshake during the Asia Cup 2025 opener as well, against the UAE on Wednesday.
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"Every tournament has its own set of rules and regulations. There are tournaments where protocol demands that one needs to shake hands at the toss. For the record, Suryakumar Yadav didn't shake hands with UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem during the last match's toss also," the source said.
This was the second time that a handshake drama involving the two captains took a turn. Earlier this week, during the pre-tournament presser in Dubai, social media claimed that Suryakumar and Salman avoided each other at the end of the conference and did not even shake hands. However, moments later, a fresh video emerged showing that Salman had waited for Surya after getting off the stage and offered the handshake, which the Indian skipper accepted.
This was the first match between India and Pakistan in men's international cricket since the Pahalgam attack, where 26 civilians had lost their lives. The incident was followed by a military showdown between the two nations.
Last month, India’s new sports policy barred bilateral events with Pakistan, travel to Pakistan, and hosting Pakistani athletes in the country. However, there were no such restrictions on multi-nation events.
Ahead of the Asia Cup clash, the Indian camp said players remained focused on the game, putting emotions aside. Both India and Pakistan had won their opening matches of the tournament.
