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By:

Waleed Hussain

4 March 2025 at 2:34:30 pm

Where Handshakes Are Apparently Optional

What a time to be alive in the grand theatre of Indian Premier League drama. In a world plagued by actual problems, the cricket fraternity has decided that the real crisis of our era is Virat Kohli refusing to shake Travis Head’s hand after SRH demolished RCB by 55 runs. Yes, dear reader, the sport that proudly calls itself the “gentleman’s game” is once again clutching its pearls over etiquette while conveniently ignoring that the field itself often resembles a verbal war zone. How utterly...

Where Handshakes Are Apparently Optional

What a time to be alive in the grand theatre of Indian Premier League drama. In a world plagued by actual problems, the cricket fraternity has decided that the real crisis of our era is Virat Kohli refusing to shake Travis Head’s hand after SRH demolished RCB by 55 runs. Yes, dear reader, the sport that proudly calls itself the “gentleman’s game” is once again clutching its pearls over etiquette while conveniently ignoring that the field itself often resembles a verbal war zone. How utterly predictable. Let’s rewind the tape of this earth-shattering incident. During the SRH vs RCB clash on May 22, 2026, in Hyderabad, sparks flew as they usually do when competitive egos collide. Kohli, ever the embodiment of controlled aggression (or so his fans insist), engaged in some classic on-field banter with Head. Gestures were made—Impact Player signals, invitations to bowl, the usual alpha-male posturing that makes T20 cricket so thrilling for viewers and exhausting for sports psychologists. Head, not one to back down, gave as good as he got. Standard fare in a high-stakes league, right? Wrong. Because after RCB folded like a cheap suit, the post-match handshake line became the new Colosseum. Human Decency Head, displaying what some might call basic human decency (or perhaps just following protocol), extended his hand. Kohli? He walked straight past, eyes fixed on the horizon like a man who had just discovered a more interesting Instagram story. Cameras caught it all, naturally. Social media erupted faster than a Rashid Khan googly. “Poor sportsmanship!” cried the purists. “King Kohli doesn’t fake it!” roared the Viratians. Meanwhile, the rest of us watched in bemused horror as a 37-year-old sporting legend treated a post-match ritual like it was optional, depending on his mood and the scoreboard. The sarcasm here writes itself. Cricket loves to lecture the world about “spirit of the game.” We’ve had entire documentaries about walking when you nick one (a quaint custom now as rare as a honest politician). Yet when a player with Kohli’s aura decides the spirit doesn’t include shaking hands with an opponent who dared sledge back, suddenly it’s “passion.” Imagine if this was anyone else—say, a young domestic player or a foreign import without the god-like status. The BCCI would probably issue a statement, sponsors would frown, and the moral brigade would demand a suspension. But for Virat? It’s just another chapter in the Legend of the Unshakable Ego. Let’s be brutally honest in that sarcastic way the situation deserves: Kohli has built a career on intensity. That fire has won India matches, carried RCB through lean years, and turned him into a global icon. Fair play. But intensity without self-awareness becomes petulance. At 37, one might expect a veteran to understand that leaving the fight on the field is what separates great competitors from those still proving something. Head, the Australian opener known for his own swashbuckling style and calm demeanor off the field, extended the olive branch. Kohli swatted it away like a bothersome yorker. The message? “I can dish it, but I won’t shake on it.” Charming. The hypocrisy meter is off the charts. Indian cricket fans, quick to criticize Australian teams for “unsportsmanlike” behavior in past rivalries (remember the 2008 Sydney Test?), are now defending this as “mental disintegration” or “not forgetting the battle.” Australian fans, who once cheered sledging as national sport, are suddenly appalled. Everyone’s a hypocrite when their guy is involved. Travis Head himself seemed unfazed, posting something cryptic on Instagram that fans dissected like ancient runes. Classy response, really—ignoring the noise while the internet burned. Personality Cult This isn’t about one missed handshake. It’s about the cult of personality in modern cricket. Virat Kohli isn’t just a player; he’s a brand, an emotion, a religion for millions. His aggression inspires, but it also excuses. Commentators bend over backward to justify it: “He’s passionate.” “Competitive spirit.” Translation: “Don’t criticize the King.” Meanwhile, young fans learn that if you’re talented and famous enough, basic courtesy is negotiable. What a wonderful lesson for aspiring cricketers. Forget technique; master the art of selective handshakes. Critics will say I’m being harsh. After all, emotions run high in a 55-run thrashing. RCB lost, Kohli scored modestly, and Head’s team won. The banter was mutual. Why villainize one man? Because leadership and legacy demand better. Kohli has spoken eloquently about respect and the values of the game in countless interviews. Seeing him ignore a simple gesture undermines that. It’s not the end of civilization, but it is disappointing from someone who positions himself as an ambassador for Indian cricket. (The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai. Views personal.)

Discussions on among allies for govt formation: Ajit Pawar

Updated: Nov 29, 2024

Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP head Ajit Pawar on Monday said discussions were underway among the Mahayuti partners to finalise a formula for the new government formation in the state.


Speaking to reporters at Karad in Satara district, Pawar also acknowledged the contribution of the government's Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides financial assistance to women, in the Mahayuti's victory in the just-concluded state assembly polls.


The NCP leader also assured that the alliance was working cohesively following its resounding victory in the state assembly elections.


Pawar paid tributes to Maharashtra's first chief minister Yashwantrao Chavan at his memorial in Karad on his death anniversary.


In the state poll results declared on Saturday, the Mahayuti, which comprises the BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged an impressive 230 of the 288 assembly seats.


The focus has been on BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is being seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time, as his party bagged 132 of the 149 seats it contested in the state.


Notably, Maharashtra minister and Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar has said his party legislators feel Eknath Shinde should continue as the chief minister of the state, where the ruling Mahayuti scored a landslide victory in the assembly polls.


Ajit Pawar said, "We will decide what formula to work out on the cabinet formation among the three parties."


Reflecting on the elections, he acknowledged the contribution of the Ladki Bahin scheme in the Mahayuti's win.


"We cannot ignore that Ladki Bahin helped us in this election. We are grateful to them (women voters)," he said.


Defending the scheme, Pawar, who is also the state finance minister, further said, "Had I been opposed to the Ladki Bahin scheme, I would not have presented it in the House. I discussed the scheme with several retired finance officers before finalising it."


Pawar also dismissed concerns raised by some opposition leaders over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), pointing out that polls in states like Punjab, West Bengal and Telangana, governed by their political opponents, have been conducted with the same system.


Commenting on members of same families contesting against each other during the elections, Pawar expressed annoyance over repeated questions on it.


He then asked, "Why was my close nephew fielded? Atram's own daughter was fielded against him, and even Rajendra Shingne faced a similar challenge. I don't want to comment further on this. I have got tired of apologising for fielding my wife against Supriya. Yugendra was in business, then why was he prepared to contest against me?"


In the Baramati assembly seat, Ajit Pawar was pitted against his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar.


In Aheri seat, NCP leader Dharamraobaba Atram's daughter Bhagyashree Atram contested against him on NCP (SP) ticket.

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