[WATCH] Asia Cup 2025: Gautam Gambhir changes handshake rule, asks players to greet only umpires to leave Pakistan stunned

The India-Pakistan handshake controversy took a new turn on September 21, refusing to die down even a week after it initially erupted. This time, the focus was on India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, rather than the players or an ICC-appointed official.

Following India’s Super Four victory over Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium, Gambhir issued an unexpected command, instructing Suryakumar Yadav and his colleagues to welcome only match officials after the game, ignoring Pakistan players once more.

Earlier, at the toss, Suryakumar avoided shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha for the second time in a row, instead heading straight to Ravi Shastri for a conversation before greeting match official Andy Pycroft.

At the end of the match, the customary handshake was again skipped. Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya, who guided India home with seven balls to spare, walked directly to the dressing room without acknowledging their Pakistan counterparts.

In an unusual twist, Gambhir was later seen instructing the Indian players to step back onto the field to greet the umpires. The squad then walked towards the Pakistan players but stopped short, shaking hands only with the officials before returning, leaving the opposition visibly puzzled.

Watch video of Gautam Gambhir asking Indian players to shake hands with umpires here: