Having copped a verbal lashing from Indian coach Gautam Gambhir that has tongues wagging ahead of the final Test of a spiteful Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, The Oval curator Lee Fortis can at least console himself with the decorated company he is keeping.
The giant “groundsman” at the centre of the latest storm to unfold in the series between England and India is not the first person to be stung by the combative former opener and nor, based on an extended history, will he be the last.
From dropping an elbow into Shane Watson to tackling King Kohli, Gambhir is renowned for his combustibility when crossed. A fine front foot player during a 58 Test career with India, the 43-year-old leads with his chin when it comes to tackling individuals who irk him.
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Gambhir’s dismissive language towards Fortis has drawn criticism given issues of equality in class and caste remain problematic in India. The Indian coach was displeased with the behaviour of Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, who moaned with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused to play the game on English terms, at Old Trafford last weekend.
But the latest controversy reflects poorly on Gambhir, who is under pressure. Nor is it the first time his temper has got the better of himself, having been embroiled in contentious moments over two decades at the elite level.
Digging an elbow in
The 2009 ICC Test Cricketer of the Year had cemented his spot in the Indian team and had an air of surety about him when he endured an infamous run-in with Aussie all-rounder Shane Watson during the Border-Gavaskar Series in 2008.
Gambhir was batting superbly on the way to scoring 149 in the first innings in Delhi when, during the middle session, he ran directly at Watson and dropped an elbow into him while also engaging in heated chatter with Simon Katich later in the afternoon.
Similarly to the dismissive language he used at The Oval this week, Gambhir spluttered after stumps that he scarcely had any need to worry about Watson given his superiority in skill.
“It wasn’t deliberate. It just happened. I didn’t need to get into this argument with Shane Watson because he had no option of getting me out. There wasn’t a need for me to stick my elbow out,” he said.
“That’s part of the game. They were really desperate to get me out because of the way I was batting and were trying to break my concentration. But the important thing was to just be there, not back out, and keep up the concentration.”
Referee Chris Broad did not agree, with Gambhir fortunate to only miss the next Test in Nagpur through suspension.
“The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a level two offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable. Had Gambhir been charged with and found guilty of a charge under 2.4, due to his previous offence, I would have been obliged to impose a minimum penalty of a two-Test match ban,” he said.
“In the view of the umpires, the facts of this case — the lightness of the physical conduct and the element of provocation — would not justify such a penalty. I have also taken into account the previous offences of Gambhir and therefore, I am satisfied that the penalty imposed is an appropriate outcome in the circumstances of this matter.”
That provocation Broad referred to? As Brett Lee later noted when appearing on a vodcast with the Indian coach, Gambhir did have deal with a barrage from himself and Watson, who was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for a breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.
“I still remember it was very funny, (though) not funny at the time, (but) the little incident between me, Shane Watson, staring at GG, throwing the ball at him. And then a little elbow came at Watson. That was hilarious,” Lee said.
Gambhir, with a rueful smile, lamented the incident was “very expensive”.
“Everything I’ve done has been very expensive. Either my 50 per cent match fees have been cut or I’ve been banned,” he said.
Tackling the King
The most notable of Gambhir’s many clashes occurred in an Indian Premier League match in 2013 when he and the Indian icon Kohli had to be separated by teammates after an angry exchange.
Kohli, the skipper of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, had just been caught in the outfield when his opposing skipper Gambhir, who led the Kolkata Knight Riders, issued a curt word in his direction, which led to a heated confrontation in the middle of the ground.
The furore that followed transfixed the massive IPL audience, with Fox Cricket pundit Harsha Bhogle urging restraint from the broadcast box.
“Relax. Relax. Gentlemen. It is just a cricket match here,” Bhogle said.
The pair also clashed more recently in an IPL match in 2023 when Gambhir was in charge of the Lucknow Super Giants.
After leaping the Challengers to victory, Kohli was seen shushing the crowd at Ekana Stadium. Earlier that season, Gambhir had made a similar gesture to fans in a corresponding encounter.
Kohli, who exchanged words with LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq, was approached by his former Test coach after the match before KL Rahul restrained Gambhir. Veteran spinner Amit Mishra ultimately stepped in between the pair to separate them.
Captured on camera by the team’s YouTube channel, Kohli was heard telling his teammates; “That’s a sweet win, boys. A sweet win. If you can give it, you’ve got to take it. Otherwise don’t give it.”
The team’s social media team also posted a photograph of Kohli offering the shush sign with the caption; “What goes around comes around.”
Kohli and Gambhir were later fined 100 per cent of their match fees for breaching the IPL’s code of conduct related to respect.
While the champion batter has retired from Test cricket, Gambhir claims that he has no issues with the former Indian captain, stating “there never will be (anything) personal against Virat”.
The clash with Shahid Afridi
A year prior to his stoush with Watson, Gambhir demonstrated his liking for colliding with bowlers during a feisty encounter with Pakistan spinner Shahid Afridi.
Playing in an ODI in Kanpur in November, 2007, the pair exchanged words after the left-hander clipped a beautiful on-drive for four in the infancy of his innings.
Soon after Afridi appealed for an LBW as Gambhir, seizing the chance to poach a run from the deflection off the pad, charged straight into him.
After completing his run, he doubled back to go chin-to-chin with his taller rival, with the umpire forced to drag him away from the heated clash.
The pair were both fined for the incident and, after his retirement, Afridi said it was unlikely they would ever be found in the same cafe together.
“Contrary to popular belief, Indian and Pakistan players get along very well,” he said.
“Of course, there are exceptions like Gautam Gambhir, who dare I say isn’t the friendliest. We are unlikely to be found together at a coffee shop anytime soo.
“We had a heated exchange on the field some years ago and it made headlines all over the world. While I have moved on in life as I feel these things are part and parcel of the game, Gautam for some reason can’t get over it. Good luck to him.”
Gambhir became upset in 2023 when footage of the pair clashing was used prior to the ODI World Cup in India, stating; “Why do they always show my fight with Shahid Afridi?”
Gautam takes on the Giant
Dare it be alleged that Gambhir, who is 167cm tall, suffers from short-man syndrome, but he is not afraid of taking his fight to anyone, regardless of their size.
This proved the case when he clashed with South African giant Andre Nel in an ODI in Bangalore in 2005 in another angry exchange.
The umpires ultimately intervened after Nel alerted them to the barrage he was receiving, with Aussie Darrell Hair ultimately gesturing to the Indian batter the importance of smiling.
Akmal the Appealer
During a political career between his playing and coaching days, Gambhir was outspoken on the simmering tension between India and Pakistan.
Watching him play against India’s neighbouring rival demonstrates there is no love lost between he and some Pakistan players, including the spat with Afridi.
News this week that the two nations will play each other in the Asian Cup revived memories of a clash between Gambhir and Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal back in 2010.
Angered by some excessive appealing from Akmal, which included a celebreal dash down the pitch prior to Billy Bowden calling for a drinks break, Gautam got stuck into the keeper.
It took MS Dhoni, who he coached during the batting star’s last tour as skipper in Australia over the summer, and the umpires to drag the hot-headed Indian away.
Akmal has since described the Indian coach as “like my brother” and said they enjoyed a good relationship.
Gambhir versus the Aussies
Prior to the incident with the “groundsman” on Tuesday in London, Gambhir was blunt when referring to the infamous hour in which England finished off the Test at Old Trafford last weekend.
Pressed about the deeds of skipper Ben Stokes and batting star Harry Brook, the Indian coach gave as good as he got.
It was a similar case during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the former opener resolute in defending his team in what proved another spicy series between Australia and India. He kicked it off by having a pop at Ricky Ponting prior to the series and kept cracking on.
The clash between Kohli and Konstas at the MCG was one incident that drew his attention, but even at the SCG tempers were fraying on what was an extremely difficult deck to bat on.
There were also reports of tension within the team, which is understandable given how tight the series was and the looming retirements of Kohli, Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Gambhir described suggestions of friction between he and Dhoni has “nonsense”.
“I have great respect for him (Dhoni) and always will be. I have said this on record,” he said.
“As a leader, sometimes you are not thinking about personal relationships with the other guy (but) just because you are leading a team, you have to do it.”
It was also noted that Gambhir, who is considered a strict disciplinarian, called former South African speedster and assistant coach Morne Morkel to point on an occasion over tardiness.
But as a man who played cricket in a confrontational manner, his main target was the Australians amid the battles between Konstas and Jasprit Bumrah.
“Look, it’s a tough sport played by tough men. You can’t be that soft. That’s as simple as it can get. I don’t think there was anything intimidating about it,” he said.
“He (Konstas) had no right to be talking to Jasprit Bumrah when Usman Khawaja was taking time. He had no right and no business to be involved with Jasprit Bumrah. That was a job for the umpire and for the guy who is batting at the (other) end.“
And as for the Kohli clash with Konstas at the MCG?
“I think whatever’s happened is history. As I said, it’s a tough sport played by tough men. And these things happen,” he said.
“I don’t think we need to make a lot of big issue about it. It is not that only these incidents have happened in this series. It has happened in the past as well. A lot of Australian players in the past have done that as well. I think we just keep making big issues about these things.”
