Credit: ICC
Team India coach Gautam Gambhir, who served the national side from 2003 to 2016, made a vital contribution to the team. In India’s T20 World Cup 2007 and World Cup 2011 success, the southpaw played an instrumental role with his innings of 75 and 97 respectively. Gambhir’s fierce attitude made him a fighter on the field as a batter. Riding on his magnificent fighting attitude, Team India also won their first Test series on New Zealand’s soil after 1967. He ended up as the highest run-getter in the series with 445 runs in six innings of three matches.
Gambhir was also known for his aggressive and outspoken nature during his playing days. Currently, he is Team India’s coach and his attitude hasn’t changed a bit. His fierce demeanour has also brought him in the limelight, drawing criticism sometimes. Recently, he hit the headlines for his confrontation with The Oval groundsman Lee Fortis ahead of the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 and following this, he has become the centre of attention again. Noting his latest spat, SportsTiger revisits Gautam Gambhir’s controversies from the past.
Here are five incidents when Gautam Gambhir hit the headlines due to controversies
5. Gautam Gambhir vs Shahid Afridi in 2007
During the Kanpur One-Day International (ODI) between India and Pakistan, when Shahid Afridi got hit for a four by Gambhir, the former sledged the latter and India batter also refused to stay calm and gave it back. The next delivery, Gambhir collided with Afridi while stealing a run and things got worse as both exchanged expletives and the conversation got recorded and came in the media.
4. Gautam Gambhir vs Virat Kohli in 2013
In 2013, Gambhir also got into a heated conversation with Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League (IPL) game between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). After Kohli’s dismissal, Gambhir said something following which the former reacted and headed towards his senior Team India colleague. Both were separated by Rajat Bhatia, who was an essential part of KKR then.
3. Gautam Gambhir’s statement on MS Dhoni’s World Cup 2011 match-winning stroke
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Gambhir gave an interview to India Today’s renowned Sports Editor Vikrant Gupta, in which the former said that one six didn’t win India the World Cup 2011. He was referring to MS Dhoni’s match-concluding maximum, which gets discussed in the media a lot. Following this statement, Gambhir became the target of MS Dhoni’s supporters on social media.
2. Gautam Gambhir vs Virat Kohli in 2023
In 2023, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli again saw themselves against each other. Following RCB’s 18-run win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the EKANA Cricket Stadium, the latter’s side mentor Gambhir and Kohli got involved in a verbal spat which was followed by the intense exchange between Naveen-ul-haq and Bengaluru star player during the game and the customary handshake after the match. Both were handed hefty penalties for contravening the IPL Code of Conduct.
1. Gautam Gambhir vs Lee Fortis in 2025
Ahead of the fifth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, when Gambhir, along with India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, went to have a look at The Oval’s pitch, the groundsman Lee Fortis told the India head coach to stay away from the turf. Tempers flared when Lee screamed at India supporting staff to not take a cooler to the ground. Rankled Gambhir alluded to Fortis to back off. Fortis threatened to report the incident but Gambhir refused to relent and told Lee to go and file a complaint with anyone he wants.
