Former India batsman Gautam Gambhir has revealed an incident when legendary Australian captain Ricky Ponting tried to sledge him during a Test match in Bangalore.
Gautam Gambhir said that Ricky Ponting while fielding at silly point mocked him on his batting and said that it was lacking spark.
“Ricky Ponting in 2008. When Anil Kumble was the captain, in that series where I got a double hundred. In the 1st test match at Bangalore, he said that I had not sent the world on fire while I was batting and he was fielding at silly point,” Gautam Gambhir told on Stars Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.
Gautam Gambhir is someone who has never been short of aggression even after retiring from the cricket field and so there was no point of him staying silent over Ponting’s jibe back then. The southpaw gave just the prefect reply to shut Ricky Ponting down. Gambhir reminded Ponting of his dismal performances in India.
“And I said ‘Neither have you to be honest in India. You have been a bunny’. And his record says that as well that he has been a bunny in India.” Gambhir added.
Notably, Ricky Ponting averaged just 26.48 from the 14 Test matches he played in India. Ponting could slam only 1 out his 41 Test century in India.
Gautam Gambhir had topped scored in that 4-match Test series with 463 runs from 3 matches and also slammed a double hundred.
The former opener also talked about his banter with former all-rounder Shane Watson during the same series. In the 3rd Test match in Delhi Gautam Gambhir elbowed Watson during a run after a verbal altercation.
Gambhir later pleaded guilty to a charge of not conducting play “within the spirit of the game as well as within the laws of cricket” and was banned for a Test match. However, Gambhir has revealed that he had no plans of pleading guilty as it wasn’t at all intentional.
Gautam Gambhir revealed that he agreed to admit his mistake on the suggestion of then-coach Gary Kirsten. Kirsten had told Gambhir that match referee Chris Broad would go easy on him if he accepts the charges. But things didn’t go according to the plan.
“Shane Watson! And the reason is I didn’t do that intentionally. Actually, I got banned after that game. A lot of people say that I elbowed him, but I didn’t do that purposely.
“When I was going for the hearing to the match, Gary Kirsten told me to accept it as it is Chris Broad. He will give you the extra sympathy and he is not going to ban you. I went inside with Gary Kirsten and he asked if you accept your mistake. I said ‘Yes’ and he said you are banned,” Gautam Gambhir said.
