Matthew Hayden thinks Gautam Gambhir got too angry during his fight with the groundsman. The former Australian opener watched the whole incident happen before India’s final Test. Hayden believes Gambhir had good reasons to be upset, but spoke too harshly.
The argument started when Lee Fortis told Indian coaches to stay away from the pitch. Fortis wanted them to stand at least 2.5 meters back from the playing area. This made Gambhir really mad because he thought it was unfair treatment.
Gambhir shouted at the Oval curator and said some mean things to him. He told Fortis that a groundsman had no right to boss around coaches like that.
What Really Made Gambhir So Mad
Lee Fortis was just trying to protect his pitch before the important match. But Gambhir felt like he was being treated badly by the English officials. The Indian coach probably thought they were trying to create problems for his team.
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Hayden understands why Gambhir got frustrated because curators in England are very strict. They act like the pitch belongs only to them and nobody else. This attitude can really annoy visiting coaches who just want to prepare properly.
“I used to sit in the middle and meditate. And, often there would not be a person that would not come up to me and tell me to move. They (curators) can get pretty protective around the surface. 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 said on ‘All Over Bar The Cricket’.
The pressure of coaching India in a crucial Test match was huge. Gambhir wanted everything to go perfectly for his players that day. When Fortis started making demands, it pushed Gambhir over the edge completely.
Hayden Says Gambhir Went Too Far
Matthew Hayden thinks Gambhir should have stayed calmer during the whole situation. Yes, the Indian coach had every right to feel annoyed about those rules. But shouting at the groundsman wasn’t the best way to handle things.
“I agree. Even now, even as a commentator, you get near the pitch and everyone is saying you can’t get anywhere near it, and you’re like I haven’t got spikes on. It is quite ridiculous.”
“I get the frustration. But I agree that the language that he used wasn’t great. If he reflects, he could have probably handled it a little better,” he said.
Hayden said coaches must control their emotions even when they feel really angry. Speaking politely would have solved the problem much better than getting into arguments. Greg Blewett also agreed that Gambhir used the wrong approach with Fortis.
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Both former cricketers understand the pressure Gambhir faces as India’s head coach. But they believe he could have found a nicer way to express his concerns. Cricket should always maintain respect between different people working at matches.
