The legendary Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi and current Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir’s long-standing feud has been one of the most intense rivalries in the game. The rivalry between Afridi and Gambhir has been nothing short of dramatic, sparking tension both on and off the field.
It all began in 2007 during a heated exchange that nearly erupted into full-blown hostility. The former Indian batter and former Pakistan captain clashed after Gambhir collided with Afridi while taking a quick single.
Shahid Afridi reveals Gautam Gambhir’s feuds with global players
The incident escalated so quickly that umpire Ian Gould had to step in to separate the fiery duo. Both players were fined for their on-field spat. The feud between Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi didn’t end with the match.
Over the years, the duo has never missed a chance to target each other on social media, keeping their rivalry very much alive. They also trade barbs during interviews as well. Shahid Afridi even mentioned the incident in his autobiography, reigniting the flames of their bitter rivalry back into the spotlight.
Adding fuel to the fire, the legendary all-rounder has now made some surprising revelations about the current head coach of the Indian cricket team. Actually, Afridi shed light on his complicated relationship with Gambhir, revealing that the former Indian batter’s fiery nature wasn’t just limited to him.
Shahid Afridi reveals media role in intensifying rivalry with Gautam Gambhir
The former Pakistan skipper claimed that Gambhir had feuds with players from several countries, including Australia, South Africa, and England. However, the former Pakistani all-rounder has emphasized that his feud with Gambhir was the one the media chose to highlight and intensify the drama to hit the headlines, thanks to India-Pakistan issues.
Shahid Afridi was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s Geo News: “It was not just with me that Gautam had it. It happened with other players as well, players from Australia, South Africa, England, etc. But the thing between me and Gautam was highlighted by the media.”
Additionally, Afridi recounted how his own controversial tweets about India visiting Pakistan were taken out of context by the Indian media, labeling him a “Taliban supporter.” He added, “Honestly speaking, I had tweeted that India should come to Pakistan, and on that some Indian media declared me part of the Taliban.”
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Shahid Afridi feels Gautam Gambhir deserves time to prove himself as India coach
Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi said that Gautam Gambhir has proven himself as a coach by leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the IPL 2024 title victory, so he deserves some time to settle into the job and to show results as India coach.
The Indian team lost the ODI series in Sri Lanka, the home Test series against New Zealand, and now the Day-Night Test in Australia under Gambhir’s coaching. Now, Afridi stressed that the responsibility of coaching the Indian team is a big job that requires time to show results.
Afridi signed off by saying, “Gautam has been the coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders and won, which means he has delivered something that the team won. Now has the responsibility of coaching the Indian team. Coaching the national team is a very big responsibility. He has been appointed recently. Every system takes time to take effect. If it is any person, I say give him time at the least.”
گوتم گمبھیر بھارتی ٹیم کیلئے کیا بہتر کرسکتے ہیں؟
گوتم گمبھیر کو شاہد آفریدی سے کیا مسئلہ ہے؟@geonewspodcast @SAfridiOfficial @MubashirHashmii pic.twitter.com/AG67UQ0O7f— Geo News Urdu (@geonews_urdu) December 8, 2024