Former India opener Gautam Gambhir is always known to put his strong views across, be it on any issue. And for this very reason, he gets embroiled in controversies rather easily. Just recently, he was involved in an on-field spat with his former teammate S Sreesanth during the Legends League Cricket. But one of his most infamous incidents occurred with Shahid Afridi, way back during an ODI in 2007, which is still talked about by many.
In an interview during the ‘ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash’, Gautam Gambhir opened up about that fight, and how before every India vs Pakistan match, the media plays its role in highlighting that spat. “When there’s a match between India and Pakistan, why do they always show my fight with Shahid Afridi, there are so many other fights that have happened. Show something positive, show when India has won the Asia Cup against Pakistan,” Gambhir said.
Highlight Positives from India vs Pakistan Rivalry
That particular incident had happened during the Kanpur ODI when, while batting, Gambhir ran for a single, and Afridi came in his way. The duo had a heated argument on the spot, and the umpires had to intervene. But then, it seems like both have decided to move on, as Afridi too asked about his well-being after Gambhir was hit during an LLC match.
“If you don’t have to move on, then absolutely fine with it, because I have moved on long back. How can I control what a broadcaster wants to show? This is not in my hands. What is in my hands is to win all the games, be passionate about it, and be accountable, true to the franchise or team that I am representing,” Gambhir said.
The former India opener did not stop there. He urged the broadcasters to highlight the positives of the India vs Pakistan rivalry. “At the end, it’s a game of numbers, right? In the end, how much traction you’re getting on social media, it’s not all about TRP. If you keep showing one thing, then it gets negative. There are many other positive things to show as well, India has defeated Pakistan in many important matches,” he said.
