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Ex-cricketers from both Australia & India have defended the decision of Match Referee Chris Broad to impose a one test match ban on gentle Indian opener. Supporting the decision former greats were of the opinion that gambhir should learn from his prior experience of getting penalized and improvise on his on-field behaviour.

The face-off between Indian opener Gautam gambhir and Australian all-rounder Shane Watson occurred during current test match being played at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in Delhi. The incident happened so while gambhir was taking a run, Watson deliberately mouthed not-so-good words to the Indian who in turn stuck elbow to the Aussie bowler. Watson was fined ten percent of his total match fee. The spokesperson for Board of Cricket Control in India said that the batsman would make an appeal against the verdict.

According to ex-Australian spinner Colin Miller gambhir’ behaviour was entirely against the spirit of the gentlemen’s’ game and also there was no need for the Indian opener to have physical contact with Shane Watson.

For the information of the readers, temperate Indian batsman was caught up in somewhat similar incident with all-rounder from Pakistan Shahid Afridi at some point in Indo-Pak ODI series. At that time, gautam nearly seventy five percent of fees was deducted.

Renowned cricket journalist Peter Roebuck has the opinion that gambhir act was a bit on purpose; however as soon as a cricketer deliberately have a physical contact he crosses the limit. Even former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri supports the ban by opining that this is not the first time gambhir has been involved in such an act and therefore must seriously mend his ways on-field.

However, ex- Indian wicketkeeper Saba karim was divided on the nature of the ban as according to him the verdict appeared to be one sided if compared with previous other instances in the world of cricket.