WATCH: ‘So called finisher’ – Gambhir takes sly dig at Dhoni; social media reacts

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has found himself in the midst of another controversy. Never one to mince words, Gambhir made a contentious remark that left fans assuming that he took a dig at the great MS Dhoni. With the speculations of their indifference always rife, some accused of Gambhir of once again going after […]
 By Kashish Chadha Oct 2, 2021, 15:19 IST
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WATCH: ‘So called finisher’ – Gambhir takes sly dig at Dhoni; social media reacts

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has found himself in the midst of another controversy. Never one to mince words, Gambhir made a contentious remark that left fans assuming that he took a dig at the great MS Dhoni.

With the speculations of their indifference always rife, some accused of Gambhir of once again going after Dhoni and trying to demean his legendary ex India captain and his achievements.

This accusation was backed up by excessive trolling from Dhoni’s fans over Twitter as a clip of Gambhir went viral where he is seen using the words “so-called finisher.” This clip is from Gambhir’s commentary stint in the ‘Select Dugout’ for IPL’s official broadcaster Star Sports.

Also Read: Aakash Chopra Hints At New Zealand Bias In KKR Selection; Gets Trolled

WATCH: ‘So called finisher’ – Gambhir takes sly dig at Dhoni; social media reacts

Did Gautam Gambhir take a dig at MS Dhoni?

But why did Gautam Gambhir use that word?

The context here relates to Gautam Gambhir’s opinion on the term “finisher” and the problem he has with the widespread identification of who is a ‘finisher’ in T20 cricket and IPL.

WATCH: ‘So called finisher’ – Gambhir takes sly dig at Dhoni; social media reacts

Gambhir, sitting next to former England off-spinner Graeme Swann, opined that it is not always right to call lower middle-order aggressors like Andre Russell the “finisher” when a lot of the times an anchor of Virat Kohli’s robustness and class is being there till the end of the run-chase.

“..or a Russell, being called as a finisher. No! Virat Kohli is probably has been the best finisher and the reason..he bats at No.3. So just by giving people this term ‘finisher’, doesn’t make one a finisher,” Gambhir was seen and heard saying in the clip.

“And I am sure, if one looks at the stats and data or whatever you want to call it, if you compare Virat Kohli scoring the last run with someone like the so-called finisher…”

While Gambhir was arguably making a case for better judgement of the role and performance of a batter in run-chases, him ending the sentence with the word “so-called finisher” didn’t go down well with many over Twitter as they took it as a negative comment made on MS Dhoni, whose reputation is one of the world’s best “finisher”.

Here is how Twitterati reacted to Gautam Gambhir’s comment:

While it is debatable whether Gambhir was really targetting Dhoni here or not, the history between the two doesn’t help the interpretations that people have had around former’s remark. The two contrasting personalities, it is believed outside, never quite gelled with each other during their playing days for India.

Post their retirements, Gambhir has made multiple comments that could easily be mistaken as a dig at Dhoni. He once called out an ESPNcricinfo graphic that contained Dhoni’s iconic image hitting the six to finish the 2011 World Cup final, saying that it wasn’t only Dhoni who won the World Cup but the entire Indian team did.

Gambhir, who made 97 that day and stitched a great partnership with Dhoni to guide India to a memorable victory, also said in an interview with ‘Lallantop’ that a chat with Dhoni and his words made him “conscious” of reaching the 100-mark and that brought about his downfall.

“I remember that when an over was completed, I and Dhoni were at the crease. He told me that ‘these three runs are remaining, get these three runs and your hundred would be completed’,” Gambhir had said.

“Suddenly, when your mind turns to your individual performance, individual score, then, somewhere, you have a rush of blood. Before this moment, my target was only to chase Sri Lanka’s target. If only that target remained in my mind, maybe, I would have easily scored my hundred.”

Gambhir got out bowled trying to hit Sri Lanka’s Thisara Perera through the off-side after a well-compiled 97. But Dhoni stayed there till the very end and was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ for his incredible 91 not out.

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