KEY POINTS
- Australian players suggest new and quirky greetings to “throw India off” before ODI series.
- The playful banter has gone viral, adding to the intensity ahead of the series.
- India’s no-handshake decision remains a point of contention in cricketing world.
ISLAMABAD: With the eagerly awaited ODI series between India and Australia set to begin this Sunday, the Australian team is already looking to get inside their opponents’ heads, and they’re doing it with some playful mockery.
In the lead-up to the series, Australian cricketers, including Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, and Alyssa Healy, featured in a Fox Cricket skit trolling India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2025, amid tensions from the Pahalgam incident.
If handshakes are off the table, what’s next ⁉️
The Grade Cricketer’s got our teams testing new moves to catch India off guard ahead of the Sunday's ODI series – only on Fox Cricket.#KayoSports #DontMissAThing #Cricket #India #ODI #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/BvIQF1GNTN
— Kayo Sports (@kayosports) October 13, 2025
In a light-hearted video clip shared on social media by Kayo Sports, several members of the Australian ODI team can be seen joking about India’s aversion to the traditional handshake, claiming to have discovered a “critical weakness” in India’s approach to greetings.
“We all know India’s on their way, we’ve identified one critical weakness,” one Australian cricketer says in the video. “Now we know they’re not huge fans of the traditional greeting, so we can throw them off before we’ve even bowled a ball.”
The players then began brainstorming ways to catch India off guard, suggesting a variety of unusual “greetings” to replace the handshake.
One cricketer enthusiastically added, “We’ve been working on this one, fisting the other mate,” prompting laughter from the rest of the team.
Not to be outdone, a female cricketer chimed in, “I’ve been working on this one,” as she poked her nose and made a face, earning giggles from her teammates.
A male cricketer added, “We got the uh Travis Head finger in the ice cup,” referencing a quirky move, before another teammate quipped, “We got the healing hands, don’t we Kingy?”
To which “Kingy” (presumably referring to Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell) responded with an enthusiastic “Absolutely!”
The banter continued with suggestions like “thinking the popcorn,” “get some salt on it,” and even “what about the shooter?” The players couldn’t hold back their laughter, clearly enjoying their playful mockery.
After a brief pause, one of the cricketers ended the sequence with a teasing remark, “As I was saying, No handshakes, no problem, let’s shake things up a bit.”
The video has quickly gone viral on social media, sparking conversations across the cricketing world. While the Australian team’s mocking banter seems harmless, it also highlights the growing tension and playful rivalry between the two cricketing giants.
India’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan during the Asia Cup 2025 sparked controversy, with fans and analysts alike debating the significance of this gesture. Some viewed it as a political statement, while others dismissed it as a minor issue.
However, the Australian team’s reaction shows that the lack of handshakes could be used as psychological fodder in the upcoming series.
With the ODI series looming, it seems the Australian team is not just preparing for the match itself but is already engaged in a mental battle, trying to gain the upper hand even before the first ball is bowled.
