Ravi Shastri set the tone at the toss of the first Test between India and West Indies in Ahmedabad with a cheeky introduction for match referee Andy Pycroft the man at the centre of the recent Pakistan-India handshake controversy during the recent Asia Cup 2025. Shastri announced, "Back in the house, all the way from Dubai, in the hot seat. Andy Pycroft," drawing a sheepish smile from the match referee, clearly aware of the reference to the issue he had been caught in just weeks earlier.
What Controversy was Andy Pycroft involved in?
A controversy erupted after the India vs Pakistan group stage clash on September 14, when Indian players refused to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts post-match. The PCB filed an official complaint with the ICC, alleging that Pycroft, the match referee, failed to act in the spirit of the game. The board even demanded his removal from the tournament and threatened to boycott the remaining matches.
The ICC dismissed the complaint, clarifying that Pycroft was only relaying a message from the BCCI and had acted within his role. The fallout led to the Pakistan vs UAE game being delayed by an hour as the PCB explored its options.
Pycroft apologises to Pakistan
Ahead of that match, the PCB released a statement claiming that Pycroft had apologised for the earlier “miscommunication” during the India game. A video of Pycroft speaking with Pakistan captain Salman Agha and coach Mike Hesson was also shared, though the footage contained no audio.
In a fiery press conference days later, former PCB chairman Ramiz Raja escalated the issue with unsubstantiated claims. Appearing alongside current chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Najam Sethi, Raja said, “I have always seen that Andy Pycroft is the favourite for Team India. I think he is a permanent fixer for the Indian team. He has officiated in 90 Indian games. This is blatant, this is one-sided, and it shouldn't happen like that. This is a neutral platform. But anyway, I just hope better sense prevails,”
