Gautam Gambhir threatens pitch curator with bat

Gautam Gambhir is being accused of threatening pitch curator Venkat Sundaram.

Indian batsman Gautam Gambhir has been accused of threatening former India player and Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) pitch curator Venkat Sundaram following an argument over the nature of the wicket, reports DNA.

“I was routinely passing on instructions to my ground staff when suddenly Gautam [Gambhir] intervened and asked my staff to not follow any of my orders,” Sundaram told DNA. “He shouted at me … ‘You go and give interviews to newspapers. Don’t interfere here.’ I would have forgiven and not reported this incident to DDCA top officials had he not raised his bat at me in anger.”

When asked for a statement, Gambir denied the reports. “I can categorically tell you that there is no truth in this. Yes, I did meet him on Monday at Kotla but there was no heated argument at all. Being the well-wisher of Delhi cricket, my only suggestion to Venkat Sundaram was to give us a wicket that suits the Delhi team.”

“Yes, we have differences of opinion when it comes to the nature of pitch but to say that I abused him is a piece of fiction. Even some time back he accused me in the media of interfering in his job as a curator. Being the captain of the Delhi team, I have enough things to worry about and Venkat is the last person on my mind.”

However, a groundsmen who was present at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground confirmed the story. “Captain asked us not to water the pitch, which Venkatji was asking us to do. A huge quarrel followed between the two in English that I was not able to understand.”

Sundaram has lodged an official complaint to the top officials of DDCA post the incident, and it has been suggested that Sundaram is determined to take matter into his own hands if actions are not taken against the fallen out-of-favour Gambhir. He has even threatened to approach BCCI if the DDCA disciplinary committee fails to bring justice to the curator in the next couple of days.

“We will talk to both sides and listen to their versions. It does not reflect well on Delhi cricket if the curator and captain can’t get along,” a DDCA official said.