India's 61-run win over Pakistan in their T20 World Cup Group A clash at the R Premadasa Stadium was pretty comprehensive. Ishan Kishan's early blitz of 77 off 40 balls, powered India to 175/7, a total that proved more than sufficient as Pakistan were bowled out for 114, with the bowlers chipping away at regular intervals.
Yet, amid the dominance, one brief on-field moment caught the attention of viewers. With no handshakes exchanged between the two teams, it was an apparent snubbed handshake between captain Suryakumar Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav that caught the eye.
The Flashpoint In The 18th Over
The sequence began in the 18th over of Pakistan's chase. Hardik Pandya, operating at the death, saw two opportunities go down in quick succession.
First, Ishan Kishan put down what appeared to be a regulation chance behind the stumps to dismiss Shaheen Afridi. The very next ball was launched high towards long-on by Afridi. Kuldeep did well to cover ground as he ran across in the deep and got both hands under it, but the ball did not stick as it spilled over the cushions for six.
Pandya's reaction was instantaneous. He pointed towards both Kishan and Kuldeep and made his frustration known with a few choice words thrown in for good measure, something not uncommon in any high-pressure contest.
Then post the game, as the Indian players were congratulating each other fans noticed how Kuldeep appeared to snub his captain's handshake leading to Suryakumar not looking too pleased with that action.
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There was also an animated exchange between Suryakumar, Hardik and Kuldeep that was picked up by the cameras on the field.
This led to a lot of speculation online about a rift in the camp. However, captain Suryakumar addressed the moment, not in a press conference, but on social media.
The India captain posted a short seven-second reel recreating the incident with none other than Kuldeep himself. Captioned “Gussa chodh do bhai,” the clip used a popular dub from the iconic Bollywood film Hera Pheri, turning what had been interpreted as tension into light-hearted theatre.
In doing so, Suryakumar offered more than just humour. He demonstrated a sharp understanding of modern day captaincy in an era where every gesture is clipped, replayed and debated online.
Today's cricketers are acutely aware that on-field body language does not remain confined to the field. Broadcast angles, social media snippets and fan interpretations can create narratives within minutes. What might once have remained a fleeting exchange now becomes content.
The modern captain, therefore, manages more than tactics and match-ups. He manages optics.
By leaning into the moment rather than ignoring it, Suryakumar effectively reframed the narrative, from tension to team bonding. It reinforced an internal message without allowing speculation to take root externally.
Kuldeep's performance itself required no defence. He was instrumental in the middle overs, picking up the wicket of the dangerous Mohammad Nawas and finishing as India's most economical bowler on the night with figures of 1/14 from his three overs.
In a high-voltage tournament where scrutiny is constant, Suryakumar's quick, public reset illustrated how modern-day captaincy extends beyond the boundary rope and how the same social platforms that magnify moments can also be used to neutralise them.
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