Gautam Gambhir terms Virat Kohli's stump-mic antics 'immature', fans give it back to ex-opener

Former Team India opener Gautam Gambhir has criticised Test skipper Virat Kohli’s stump-mic antics on Day 3 of the high-voltage third Test match at Newlands, CapeTown. The match seems to be evenly poised at the moment with the hosts needing 111 runs with eight wickets in hand on a surface offering uneven bounce.

Advertisment

It so happened that Virat Kohli and some of the players expressed disappointment at South African broadcaster, SuperSport after the home captain Dean Elgar survived a DRS scare following a review. While the on-field umpire had adjudged Elgar lbw, the Indian team's celebrations were short-lived as the ball tracking showed that the ball had missed the stumps. An iritated Kohli then walked towards the stump mic and was heard saying "Focus on your team while they shine the ball. Not just the opposition. Trying to catch people all the time."

Gambhir was criticial of Virat Kohli's behaviour during his match analysis and also mentioned that he is setting a wrong example as a role model. “This is really bad. What Kohli did, going near the stump mic and reacting in that manner, that is really immature. This is not what you expect from an international captain, from an Indian captain. Then technology isn't in your hand. Then you have reacted in the same manner when there was a caught-behind appeal on the leg-side, neither did Dean Elgar react in that manner. During that Mayank Agarwal appeal, it looked OUT from the naked eye, but Elgar did not react in that manner,” said Gambhir while speaking to Star Sports as quoted by Hindustan Times.

“No matter what you say, stuff like he plays with his heart on his sleeve, this reaction was an exaggerated one and you can't be a role model in this manner. No budding cricketers would want to see this kind of a reaction, especially from the Indian captain. No matter the result in this Test match, this is not what you expect from a Test captain who has led the team for so long. I hope Rahul Dravid has a word with him because the type of captain Dravid was, he would have never reacted in this manner", he added.

Advertisment

Gambhir's statement annoyed the passionate cricket enthusiasts and here's how they reacted on social media.

Gautam Gambhir calls Virat Kohli immature about that Dean Elgar's review and begging for WC11 credits since ages 🤣🤣

— Sudhanshu Ranjan Singh (@memegineers_) January 13, 2022

Gambhir should be the last person to criticize Kohli and lecture him on how he wants himself to be a role model. He is the same guy who never left an opportunity to fight opposition players, his own teammates as opp players, & has openly criticized his own captain even after..1️⃣

— Nahata ji (urf Abhi) (@khelgyani_abhi) January 14, 2022

Advertisment

Gambhir: Virat Kohli is setting a wrong example for the youngsters by letting emotions get the better of him

Meanwhile Gavaskar Saab who urged his batting partner Chetan Chauhan to walk out off the field after being given out wrongly, thus setting up example for youngsters: pic.twitter.com/33eViVljxM

— Ricky talks Cricket (@CricRicky) January 13, 2022

Sure Kohli should have controlled his emotions in a better way but Gambhir should be the last person on the planet to talk about showing maturity in handling an ugly situation on the field!

— Gagan Chawla (@toecrushrzzz) January 14, 2022

Rcb fans supporting kkr and gambhir

Meanwhile kohli - pic.twitter.com/xm5xFiA5zp

— Harsh (@__h4r5h) January 9, 2022