IND vs AUS: You can't be soft in tough men's sport, says Gautam Gambhir

The head coach of team India, Gautam Gambhir, lambasts Australia's reaction to Bumrah-Konstas banter in Sydney

The head coach of the Indian cricket team, while attending the press conference after the Sydney Test between India and Australia, which saw the latter win the match and secure the Border Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years while simultaneously booking their place in the final of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship 2023–25 against South Africa in June, took shots at the Australian head coach and young Aussie opener Sam Konstas for their reaction to the 19-year-old’s banter with Jasprit Bumrah during the first day of the match. Gambhir said that cricket is a tough game played by tough men, and you cannot act immaturely and softly when on the field.

 

 

Gambhir's strong words for Konstas

 

During a post-match press conference, Gambhir made it clear that Konstas had no business engaging with Bumrah. He emphasised that the young Australian cricketer had "no right" to speak to the Indian captain, especially when it was a matter involving the umpire. Gambhir stressed the toughness required in the sport and pointed out that cricket, at its core, is not about being "soft". He acknowledged that while the sport demands aggression, there is a limit to the confrontations players should engage in. 

 

A learning experience for the youngster

 

Despite his strong criticism, Gambhir expressed hope that Konstas would learn from the incident and grow as a cricketer. The Australian debutant had impressed in the fourth Test in Melbourne with a fiery half-century, and Gambhir stated that Test cricket is about constant improvement. He remarked that while aggression is a part of the game, players must also show respect for the nuances of red-ball cricket and the high standards set by teams like India.

 

In Gambhir's view, playing against top-tier teams provides invaluable learning opportunities. He suggested that Konstas’ fiery exchange with Bumrah would serve as an experience to build on in future matches. Gambhir also reassured that there was no need to dwell too much on the incident, considering that similar situations have occurred in past encounters between teams.