The Suryakumar Yadav handshake with Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi has exposed the narrow-minded reaction in India. The greeting, which took place during the Asia Cup trophy unveiling, has been turned into a controversy by Indian media and social platforms.
The captain’s simple gesture of courtesy went viral, yet many Indian users condemned it instead of treating it as a normal exchange. Critics claimed that Suryakumar’s decision to greet Pakistan’s Interior Minister was inappropriate, ignoring the fact that sports diplomacy often transcends political divides.
Comments on social media reflected this rigid approach. One user went as far as calling it “the height of shamelessness.” Another angrily noted that Suryakumar Yadav shaking hands with Naqvi was unacceptable because of his past statements against India.
Indian outlets amplified these views, portraying the handshake as a serious misstep. This reaction highlights how political tension overshadows even simple gestures of respect. Observers argue that such responses show how narrow thinking continues to dominate the public debate in India.
Mohsin Naqvi, Pakistan’s Interior Minister and current ACC President, assumed his cricketing role earlier this year. The handshake controversy has now drawn more attention to him than to the Asia Cup itself.
Instead of appreciating sportsmanship, much of the Indian reaction reflects intolerance. The Suryakumar Yadav handshake should have been seen as a normal exchange between officials at a multinational event, but it has instead become a reflection of political hostility.