Clash with Shane Watson in 2008 Delhi Test unintentional, claims Gautam Gambhir

A cricketer known for being a hot-head on the field, Gautam Gambhir got into many an altercation during his playing days, including famous ones against Shahid Afridi in a bilateral series and Virat Kohli in the IPL. However, the Delhite's most notable altercation came against Australia’s Shane Watson in 2008, in the midst of a four-match series. Batting on the first day in the third Test in Delhi, Gambhir elbowed Watson, who was bowling, in the midriff and the southpaw, for his actions, was charged with a level 2 offence, which resulted in him being banned for a Test.

12 years on, recollecting the incident, Gambhir has attested that he never meant to elbow Watson intentionally and has claimed that what happened was a pure accident.

“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,” Gambhir said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected.

Gambhir breaching the ICC’s code of conduct for the second time in twelve months meant that the southpaw was slapped with a one-match ban by match referee Chris Broad, but, as revealed by the 38-year-old, it was a punishment which the management did not see coming. Gambhir revealed that the then-head coach Gary Kirsten had, in fact, convinced him to accept the mistake, as the South African anticipated a light sentence from the hands of Chris Broad.

“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.”

Eventually, Gambhir missed the fourth and final Test in Nagpur, but that mattered for little as India won the Test by 172 runs to clinch the series 2-0.