Sreesanth, Gautam Gambhir engage in verbal spat: All we know
On December 7, former Indian cricketer S Sreesanth accused his ex-teammate Gautam Gambhir of calling him a "fixer" during a recent Legends League Cricket (LLC) match between Gujarat Giants and India Capitals. Gambhir is leading the Capitals, while seamer Sreesanth is a part of GG in the tournament. The latter revealed the details of Gambhir's derogatory remarks during an Instagram live session.
Why does this story matter?
Both Sreesanth and Gambhir have been controversial figures in Indian cricket. In 2013, the former was banned from all forms of cricket due to his involvement in spot-fixing during that year's Indian Premier League (IPL) edition. However, he returned to the field in 2020 as his ban was reduced. On the other hand, Gambhir has had on-field altercations with several cricketers, including Virat Kohli.
How did the incident transpire?
According to several media outlets, Sreesanth and Gambhir were at loggerheads after Gujarat Giants elected to bowl against India Capitals during the LLC 2023 Eliminator. Gambhir took Sreesanth to the cleaners in the second over before the latter bowled a dot ball. This was followed by a heated exchange between the two. The umpires and other players had to step in eventually.
He kept calling me a fixer: Sreesanth
Sreesanth posted two videos on social media. "Fixer, fixer, you're a fixer... you f**k off, fixer. He kept saying that. He kept on calling me that, on live television in the center of the wicket. This is the language he used on live TV. He also told the same thing in front of umpires as they tried to control him," he said on Instagram.
WATCH: Sreesanth reveals the details
The developments that followed
Following Sreesanth's startling claims, Gambhir posted a cryptic message on X (former Twitter). "Smile when the world is all about attention!" wrote Gambhir as he posted a picture of him from his playing days. Notably, many believe that Sreesanth first sledged Gambhir. Syed Kirmani, the LLC Code of Conduct and Ethics Committee Head, stated that an internal probe will be conducted soon.
Gambhir's cryptic tweet
The infamous IPL 2013 spot-fixing controversy
In what is considered to be one of the biggest controversies, Sreesanth, along with Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan, were alleged to have been involved in spot-fixing in IPL 2013, playing for Rajasthan Royals (RR). According to Delhi Police's allegations, the three players were giving signals to bookies through their gestures on the field. The police observed that Sreesanth fixed an over.
Sreesanth's ban came to an end on September 20
In July 2015, the Patiala House court cleared Sreesanth, Chandila, and Chavan of all charges related to the 2013 IPL spot-fixing case. Four years later (March 2019), the Supreme Court lifted the lifetime ban on Sreesanth. The apex court had also asked the BCCI to reconsider the length of his ban. Months later, the BCCI reduced his life ban to seven years.
Controversies galore!
Even before the spot-fixing case, Sreesanth had been involved in various on-field altercations. In the inaugural IPL edition, it was reported that Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth during a match, who was spotted crying eventually. Sreesanth, who made his international debut in 2006, finished with 169 wickets from 90 matches at 35.89. He has 40 IPL wickets to his name at 29.85.
Gambhir no stranger to controversies
Gambhir, who represented India for a decade, is also no stranger to controversies. During his career, he made headlines for his on-field quarrels with Virat Kohli, both as a player (2013) and coach (2023). Gambhir is also known to speak his heart out, whether on talk shows or social media. The former batter led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.
Gambhir was a match-winner
One of the finest left-handed batters, Gambhir, earned the 'match-winner' tag during his illustrious career. He was the chief architect of India's title-clinching victories at the 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup. Meanwhile, his heroics in the whites helped India seal monumental wins overseas. Gambhir slammed 4,154, 5,238, and 932 runs in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is between 2004 and 2016.
