<p>An alleged video of former India opener Gautam Gambhir making an offensive gesture at a bunch of supporters went viral on social media on Monday, landing him in the heart of a heated debate. Gambhir, who is providing commentary for the present Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, justified himself by claiming that spectators were yelling “anti-India” in the stands.<img decoding=”async” class=”alignnone wp-image-161082″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-gambhir-attributes-offensive-gesture-to-anti-indian-chants-download-.jpg” alt=”theindiaprint.com asia cup 2023 gambhir attributes offensive gesture to anti indian chants download” width=”893″ height=”594″ srcset=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-gambhir-attributes-offensive-gesture-to-anti-indian-chants-download-.jpg 275w, https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/theindiaprint.com-asia-cup-2023-gambhir-attributes-offensive-gesture-to-anti-indian-chants-download–150×100.jpg 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 893px) 100vw, 893px” title=”Asia Cup 2023: Gambhir attributes offensive gesture to anti-Indian chants 3″></p>
<p>Fans can be heard calling out the name of an Indian cricket player as he is reported to have done the gesture in the video that has gone viral on several social media sites. Gambhir, a BJP member of parliament, responded to his gesture by asserting that the video did not show the reality.</p>
<p>“People post anything they want to post on social media, so what is shown there has no basis in reality. The reality behind the popular video is that if you shout anti-Indian sentiments and bring up Kashmir, the individual in front of you would undoubtedly respond negatively and not smile before walking away. There were one or two Pakistanis speaking about Kashmir and against India. I responded naturally, as a result. Nothing negative about my nation can be heard. So, that was my response,” Gambhir remarked in a press conference with media after the rain-shortened India-Nepal game.</p>
<p>“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes,” said the globe Cup-winning opening batter in a tweet. Nothing is exactly as it appears. Any Indian would retort to the kind of anti-national rhetoric as I did. I adore my nation and its athletes.</p>
<p>Gambhir has previously voiced his dissatisfaction with players who were too friendly with opposing players during games. He made the remarks during the India-Pakistan game and attributed the game’s current lack of aggressiveness to franchise cricket. It’s interesting to note that Gambhir, now a coach, has played for several Indian Premier League clubs.</p>
<p>“You must leave your friendship beyond the boundary lines when you play for your country’s team on the field. Having a game face is zaroori. Rehni chahiye dosti bahaar. (You need to put on your game face. Friendship should stay outside.) In both sets of players’ views, there must be hostility. After those six or seven hours of cricket, you are free to be as sociable as you choose. You’re not only representing yourself during those hours; you’re also representing a country of more than a billion people, Gambhir had stated in a mid-innings presentation on Star Sports.</p>
<p>“These days, it’s common to see players from opposing teams giving each other high fives and fist bumps during games. A few years ago, you would never have seen it. You are not playing a friendly game, he had added, “ap friendly match nahi khel rahe ho.”</p>
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Asia Cup 2023: Gambhir attributes offensive gesture to anti-Indian chants
