IND vs PAK: 'If I were captain, I wouldn't shake hands with Pakistani players,' Praveen Kumar said bluntly.

Posted on 10th Feb 2026 by rohit kumar

Former Indian cricketer and chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Senior Selection Committee, Praveen Kumar, says that India and Australia are strong contenders for the T20 World Cup. Regarding the India-Pakistan match on February 15th, he said, "Country comes before sports. War and sports cannot coexist."

 

 

He said, "If I were the captain of the Indian team, I wouldn't shake hands with Pakistani players. They attack our soldiers and people. Why should we shake hands with them?" On Monday, at office in Meerut, he spoke openly about the Indian team and the match with Pakistan.

 

 

He praised the changes made by coach Gautam Gambhir in the Indian team. He said that changes are good for the team. Sometimes, when the results are not good, questions arise.

 

 

He said that the Indian team's batting order can tear apart any team's bowlers. He also didn't underestimate Australia. He said that India, Australia, New Zealand, and England could reach the semi-finals.

 

 

Swing wizard Praveen Kumar has played six Tests, 68 ODIs, and 10 T20 matches for the Indian team.

 

 

If Abhishek performs well, the match will be one-sided.

 

He said about opener Abhishek Sharma that any day he performs well, the match will be one-sided. Australia has a similar cricketer in Travis Head. Both players are dangerous batsmen.

 

 

He said about Kuldeep Yadav that only one match has been played in the tournament so far. Kuldeep will definitely get a chance and will make an impact whenever he plays.

 

 

PK said this in response to some questions:

What made you start playing cricket?

Many members of my family are involved in sports. My uncle used to wrestle, and my uncle used to play kabaddi. Watching them made me want to take up the sport. My father never objected, but my mother sometimes scolded me.

 

 

How did you learn swing bowling?

I was originally a batsman, but after an eye injury in a match, I gave up batting. Later, I focused on bowling. I bowled with a plastic ball, which helped me learn inswing and outswing bowling.

 

 

Why did you get so angry?

 

I get very angry at lies. I can't tolerate anyone saying anything to my fellow players.

 

Who are your favorite Indian cricketers?

Among Indian cricketers, Sachin Paaji, Rohit Sharma, Yuvi, Bhajji, Arshdeep, Suryakumar are all his brothers. One thing I like about Rohit is that he says whatever he wants to say.

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