"Just For Show, Talking Behind Closed Doors": India vs Pakistan 'Handshake Policy' Questioned By England Great Alastair Cook
Former England captain Alastair Cook questioned whether the 'no-handshake policy' between India and Pakistan is only for show.
- Ex-England captain Alastair Cook questioned the legitimacy of India and Pakistan's 'no-handshake policy'
- "But aren't they talking behind closed doors? I read somewhere that everyone's just chatting away," Cook said
- "It is only for show, isn't it? Behind closed doors, they are all talking and are all fine," he claimed
India and Pakistan's rivalry on and off the cricket field is well-documented, with Indian players refusing to shake hands following the Pahalgam terror attack in 2025. The precedent was set in the Asia Cup 2025, and has carried on across other forms of cricket, and even in other sports. However, former England captain Alastair Cook made a bold claim recently, questioning whether the stand-off regarding the handshake is only for "show". Cook stated that he had read that players of both nations interact as per usual away from the cricket field.
Cook's claims came on the Stick to Cricket podcast, which includes him alongside former England cricketers Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd and Phil Tufnell.
"But aren't they talking behind closed doors? I read somewhere that everyone's just chatting away," Cook said.
"It's like, it is only for show, isn't it? On the actual field, they are not shaking hands, but then behind closed doors, they are all talking and are all fine," he added.
Whether there is any truth to Cook's claims remains unconfirmed.
During the Asia Cup, the Indian team and staff members did not shake hands with their Pakistan counterparts before or after the match. That stance has remained the same to this day, with neither Suryakumar Yadav nor Salman Agha approaching the other for a handshake during their recent T20 World Cup 2026 clash.
India defeated Pakistan by 61 runs in their Group A encounter in Colombo, en route to finishing top of the table. Ishan Kishan was the star with the bat, smashing 77 off just 40 balls on a tricky wicket and propelling India to an above-par total of 175.
With the ball, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel took two wickets each as Pakistan were bowled out for just 114 by India.
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