Sydney: India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir has hit back at Andrew McDonald’s allegations of India "intimidating" Sam Konstas, emphatically stating that Australia opener had no right to be talking to Jasprit Bumrah in the first place, especially when Usman Khawaja was apparently wasting time.
Criticising involvement of Konstas, Gambhir said: "You have no right to be talking to Jasprit Bumrah when Usman Khawaja was taking time. You have no right and no business to be involved with Jasprit Bumrah. That was the job of the umpire and probably the guy who was batting at the other end.”
Addressing the broader context of McDonald’s claims, Gambhir dismissed them as overblown. "It is a tough sport, played by tough men. You can’t be that soft," he asserted during the post-match press conference, standing firmly behind Bumrah's reaction during the exchange.
The controversy stems from an incident where Bumrah expressed frustration at Khawaja’s time-wasting tactics, leading to a heated moment involving Konstas. Gambhir’s comments highlight the competitive intensity of the sport while drawing a clear line between the roles of players and umpires.
Bumrah had the last laugh, dismissing Khawaja and sparking a flurry of reactions from India players, who confronted Konstas, leaving him stunned and shocked.