Ravichandran Ashwin's Blunt Warning To England After Gautam Gambhir-Curator Spat
According to India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, Gautam Gambhir was not happy with Lee Fortis shouting at his support staff.
- India head coach Gautam Gambhir had a verbal spat with Surrey pitch curator during the team's training session
- Ravichandran Ashwin suggested England might regret provoking India before the series-decider
- "When such an incident occurs, those sleeping beasts, will come together," said Ashwin
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels head coach Gautam Gambhir's verbal spat with The Oval pitch curator might fire up the visitors for the series-deciding fifth Test against England. Several videos were circulated from India's optional training session on Tuesday, showing Gambhir having a go at Surrey's chief pitch curator Lee Fortis. According to India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak, Gambhir was not happy with Fortis shouting at his support staff. Reacting to the video, Ashwin suggested that adversity might bring the best out of the Indian team, who trail 1-2 in the series heading into the final game.
"After all that, when I saw the video of that fight today, I am thinking, 'Boss, what are you guys doing?' This is not how you want to play against this Indian team. I have always seen that when adversity strikes the Indian team, however it may be, someone will rise up. When things are not going right, or when we are pushed against the wall, the Indian team is a different kettle of fish; it becomes a different beast," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin added that England might have to pay for triggering India going into the series-decider at The Oval.
"I think that particular thing, going into this Test match, is a serious advantage for India. Maybe this will mean nothing if England play good cricket and India don't end up on the right side, but somehow I have a feeling that this is not the way it has to be triggered," he added.
Ashwin highlighted how India have humbled teams away from home after such controversial incidents.
"When such an incident occurs, those sleeping beasts, the individually brilliant players, will come together. I have seen that many times. You look at any kind of adversity. When that Monkeygate incident happened, you saw how we played in the next Test. Look at what happened at the Gabba, look at what happened at the Lord's, where Virat said, '60 overs of hell'. It galvanizes the team," said Ashwin.
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Ravichandran Ashwin
Gautam Gambhir