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Dilip Vengsarkar criticised Matthew Hayden for his comments on Gautam Gambhir’s confrontation with Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis.
Dilip Vengsarkar and Matthew Hayden (right) with (below) Gautam Gambhir’s tiff with Lee Fortis (PTI)
Dilip Vengsarkar lashed out at Matthew Hayden for his comments on Gautam Gambhir’s confrontation with the Oval pitch curator. The incident happened during a practice session before the fifth Test when Gambhir, now India’s head coach, had a heated exchange with curator Lee Fortis.
In a video that quickly went viral, Gambhir was seen pointing a finger at Fortis and saying, “You don’t tell any of us what we need to do. You have no right to tell us, you’re just a groundsman, nothing more.” The confrontation added extra tension to the series decider, sparking intense debate in cricket circles.
After the match, legendary Australian batter Matthew Hayden weighed in on the issue. Speaking on All Over Bar The Cricket, Hayden suggested that the curator might have been asserting his authority over the Oval as his home turf, possibly making things difficult for Gambhir. However, Hayden also believed Gambhir could have chosen his words more carefully.
“This is a typical case in England. It is a bit of a flex, here we are, final Test match, this is my venue, and they are going to try and make it difficult on Gautam Gambhir. But I think he’s got every right to tone it down. He could have used better language. But the reality is, his team is trying to train ahead of the most important Test match,” Hayden was quoted as saying on All Over Bar The Cricket.
What Did Dilip Vengsarkar Say?
Vengsarkar, however, strongly supported Gambhir and took exception to Hayden’s comments. Speaking to the Mumbai Mirror, the former India captain criticised the curator for preventing a close inspection of the pitch, noting that visiting teams in India are never denied such access.
“As the head coach of the Indian team, Gambhir had every right to see the pitch from close quarters. When teams tour India, their entire squad, not just the captain and coach, examines the pitch minutely. Even their media inspects the pitch before the match. No one tells them anything. So, how are the rules different when we are playing in England?” Vengsarkar was quoted as saying to Mumbai Mirror.
Vengsarkar also challenged Hayden directly, questioning how Australian players would react if faced with similar treatment.
“Would Hayden, or any of the Aussie cricketers, take it well if a curator had asked them to stay away from the square ahead of an important match? If this had happened to the Aussies, they would have used the choicest words to show the curator his place,” he added.
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
A team of reporters, writers and editors brings you news, analyses, features, live scores, results, stats and everything that’s cricket from all over the globe. Follow @cricketnext
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