The Legends League Cricket Eliminator on December 6 witnessed a heated on-field exchange between former India captain Gautam Gambhir and ex-fast bowler S Sreesanth, diverting attention from Gambhir's stellar half-century in the game between India Capitals and Gujarat Giants led by Chris Gayle.
The altercation at the Lalabhai Contractor Stadium in Surat prompted umpire intervention as Gambhir and Sreesanth exchanged words at the striker's end. In a subsequent explosive interview, Sreesanth accused Gambhir of using 'very rude' language during the clash, labelling him 'Mr. Fighter.' Sreesanth went further, alleging that Gambhir lacks respect for his former teammates, including Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli.
In response, Gambhir took to social media on Thursday morning, sharing a cryptic note hinting at downplaying the controversy stirred up by Sreesanth. The post read, "Smile when the world is all about attention," accompanied by a throwback photo of Gambhir wearing a cheeky smile.
Sreesanth, in his accusations, claimed that Gambhir initiated the conflict without provocation and criticized him for not speaking positively about fellow cricketers, including Virat Kohli, during broadcast discussions.
In another post shared on Instagram, Sreesanth disclosed that Gambhir continued to use foul language even after the umpires intervened, making the exchange more unsavoury. The former pacer asserted that he would not allow anyone to tarnish his reputation and that Gambhir’s PR team was attempting to downplay the incident. He explained,” I asked him what are you saying, and i kept laughing in a sarcastic way, and he kept calling me a fixer, fixer, fixer.”
In the LLC Eliminator game, Gambhir contributed significantly, scoring 51 off 30 balls, propelling India Capitals to set a target of 223/7 in 20 overs. Sreesanth bowled three overs, conceding 35 runs and managing to secure only one wicket. Despite his efforts, Gujarat Giants fell short, scoring 211 for the loss of 7 wickets, resulting in a 12-run defeat.
