If you ask S Sreesanth, the current head coach has some explaining to do. In a sit-down for an interview, the ex-pace bowler has put forward a new charge: that during a match in December 2023, Gambhir didn’t mince words. It’s a dispute with some heft to it, given where they both stand now.
It all came to a head after a bouncer and a look-in from the former captain. Sreesanth says Gambhir had the audacity to say ‘I own you’ before things got ugly. He’d already put out there that Gambhir used the term ‘fixer’; this time he adds ‘Deshdrohi’ to the list.
The flashpoint and the words that stung
Go back to that over and Sreesanth will tell you Gambhir ‘stepped out on the first ball and flicked it’ – no surprise, he’s a fine cricketer. But then Sreesanth put one in his chest and, as he puts it, the atmosphere in an instant was different.
He claims what followed was abuse. ‘Fixer,’ ‘Deshdrohi.’ Sreesanth says he even put in, ‘Gauti bhai, are you okay?’ only to be met with more of the same. You get the sense from his story it wasn’t just a parting shot but a bit of a tirade.
From world titles to a rift
You have to remember where they’ve been to see why this stings. They were in the room for the 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cups. Those were the days that made them. Now, with their playing days done, the barbs are a lot more common.
It’s not so much the sledge as what it means. One is in front of a microphone, the other is in charge of Indian cricket. They are on opposite sides of a line now.
The shadow of 2013
There is a reason those words have an edge. The 2013 spot-fixing case is hard to put behind you. Sreesanth got a life ban from the BCCI, which was later cut to seven years, and he was back in the game by 2020.
But when you are tied to a scandal, a label like ‘fixer’ or ‘Deshdrohi’ lingers. That’s why what Sreesanth let on to Lallantop has some weight to it; it’s more than just a row in a franchise league.
Why it resonates today
With Gambhir at the helm of the men’s team, the eyes are on him. Under him, India have put up some good showings, like the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup. So when a former teammate comes out with allegations of bad conduct, it’s bound to be looked at a little closer.
This is more than a he-said, she-said. It’s about how you deal with the past when you’re in a position of power, and how your history can get in the way of your job.
Sreesanth’s core claims
In his own telling of it:
– After the bouncer, Gambhir said ‘I own you’.
– He made a point of calling Sreesanth a ‘fixer’.
– And he threw in ‘Deshdrohi’ as well.
– Sreesanth says there was a fair bit of ‘F-F’ language to go with it.
Then there is the context. The Legends League is supposed to be a fun place for old pros to be, but Sreesanth says this was no such thing. He is very specific about the date – December 2023 – to make sure we know this was a post-retirement affair, not some high-stakes international.
Look at it from a distance and it’s clear. Two guys who were in the trenches for some of India’s best wins are now at odds over matters of respect and where to draw the line. Sreesanth is saying the competitiveness in that moment went too far.
We’ll have to wait and see if either of them has more to add. For the moment, the interview has put an awkward question on the table: how much does an old scandal define you, and what do you do when a leader has to face up to it?
