Australia did not prepare for a handshake against India; Mitchell Marsh and Maxwell find solutions

Many cricket stories begin with a handshake, or in this case, the lack of a handshake. As Australia prepare to host India in a much-anticipated white-ball series, the prelude came from a tongue-in-cheek video across the Pacific.

The Australians, always quick with humor and even quicker with mind games, found their latest talking point in India’s decision to skip post-match handshakes with Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup. With Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell and Josh Hazlewood leading the joke brigade, the Australians found some pre-series theater lighthearted, something that is extremely important for making discussions about cricket warm and fun.

The Indo-Pakistani handshake snubbed

The 2025 Asian Cup has been a whole host of drama. Less cricket. The tournament took place in a politically charged environment, just months after the Pahalgam terror attack and Indian counter-operation ‘Operation Sindoor’. In this tense context, Suryakumar Yadav’s Indian team refused to shake hands with the Pakistani players after their three meetings: the group match, the Super 4 clash and the final in Dubai. This act initially surprised Pakistan and they forced an entire Andy Pycroft saga.

Continuing the controversy, the Indian side refused to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC and PCB President Mohsin Naqvi, who is also the Interior Minister of Pakistan. Naqvi also refused to hand over the trophy, leading India to celebrate with an imaginary trophy.

Regardless, India’s decision made headlines around the world and paved the way for further off-field drama as they now head to the West Indies.

Australia has the choice not to shake hands!

Sensing an opportunity for some good-natured banter, the Australian cricketers jumped into the conversation with humor. In a promotional video shared by You play sportsthe presenters introduced the clip by saying: “We all know that India is on its way. But we have identified a critical weakness.” The other added: “They’re not big fans of the traditional greeting, so we may throw them out before we’ve even thrown a ball.»

The video then cuts to Captain Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood and Sophie Molineux, each trying their own version of alternative ‘greetings’. Marsh dips his finger into a cup of ice cream in a playful imitation of Travis Head’s famous celebration, while Molineux mockingly raises his hand and then his middle finger to tease the Indian team. Hazlewood, always a troublemaker, added: “And the shooter?” before everyone burst out laughing.