Sharp Turn Column by Zaahier Adams
Gautam Gambhir was a feisty character during his playing days. He was frequently involved in altercations with both opponents and teammates alike.
Growing older and going in to become a mentor and coach has done nothing to dim the fire that needs very little touchpaper to spark it yet again.
Gambhir also doesn’t care who he challenges. Just ask Indian legend Virat Kohli and his current bowling coach, former Proteas fast bowler Morné Morkel.
And anyone who has ever had any engagement with Morkel will take an oath that the gentle giant would not even pick a fight with a fly.
But even taking into consideration Ghambir’s trademark hostile persona, his unprovoked attack on journalists after India’s ICC Champions Trophy semi-final victory over Australia in Dubai bordered on insanity.
Gambhir lashed out at critics of India’s perceived home ground advantage in Dubai, stating in no uncertain terms that “Some people are just perpetual cribbers, man!”
The meaning of “cribber” in India, of course, is someone who habitually complains.
But Gambhir was not done with the personal insults. He went even further by saying: “They’ve got to grow up.”
And he continued by challenging reporters with retorts such as “What undue advantage?” and “We haven’t practiced here even for a day. We’re practising at the ICC Academy, and the conditions there and here are 180 degrees different.
“If you look at the wickets there and here, the difference is between the ground and the sky.”
The fact that the ICC Academy and Dubai International Stadium is only a few hundred metres apart seems to be completely lost on the former India opener.
But that’s not what has my back up. Gambhir’s arrogance throughout this whole situation is cringeworthy.
The most notable “cribber” has, of course, been former England captain and renowned Sky Sports pundit Nasser Hussain, who unapologetically stated: “It is an advantage. So, the best team in the tournament have that advantage. And I saw a tweet the other day saying ‘Pakistan host nation, India home advantage.’ It sums it up really.”
He added: “They are at one place, one hotel, they don’t have to travel. They have one dressing-room. They know the pitch, they have picked for that pitch.
“They were very smart in their selection. They probably knew what Dubai was going to be like.
“They picked all their spinners. There was a bit of debate with Indian media saying why haven’t you gone for an extra seamer? Why all these spinners? Now we can seen why.”
Is Gambhir insinuating that Hussain should “grow up?”
Well, that’s some statement, especially when it’s blatantly obvious that residing in one location and playing at a single stadium while other teams have to travel around and experience different conditions is an advantage.
Proteas batter Rassie van der Dussen called it out delightfully by saying you “don’t have to be a rocket scientist” to figure out that the dice is loaded in India’s favour.
There’s no denying that India are the strongest one-day outfit at the ICC Champions Trophy, especially with Australia having fielded a second-string bowling unit and a couple of rookie batters upfront.
And that they may still have dominated the competition had they played their matches in Pakistan – the actual host country.
Equally, the India team and their players, led by Rohit Sharma, should not be blamed for not playing in Pakistan after their government forbade them to play in a country due to the historically complicated tensions between the two nations.
There’s every likelihood that India will go on to win their second successive major ICC trophy in less than a year on Sunday when they face New Zealand, who beat South Africa in Wednesday’s semi-final.
But when Gambhir raises the trophy towards the Dubai night skyline in celebration, being the fierce competitor that he is, he will know deep within himself that there will be a hollowness to it for the manner it was achieved regardless of all the outlandish comments he is currently making.
And that’s something he will have to live with every time he looks at that winners’ medal in his living room for the rest of his days.