New Delhi: He had risked his captaincy, fought with the establishment to get Navdeep Saini into the Delhi Ranji Trophy team and no wonder a vindicated Gautam Gambhir launched a scathing attack on former India players Bishan Singh Bedi and opener Chetan Chauhan after the Haryana speedster made it to India’s Test team.
Those who were witness to Gambhir’s infamous altercation with Chauhan at the Roshanara ground (December, 2013) will never forget how adamant he was to get the young pacer into the team.
Gambhir’s contention then was that Saini is an India prospect and it’s his duty as a senior cricketer to help him. Bedi, who has been Gambhir’s fierce critic on and off the field, had then questioned how an ‘outsider’ could get into the Delhi team.
Gambhir, who is currently holidaying in Europe with his family, took to Twitter to remind Bedi and Chauhan as to how a section of DDCA officials were distributing pamphlets and were ready to wear black armbands on protest of Saini’s inclusion.
“My ‘condolences’ to few DDCA members, @Bishan Bedi @ChetanChauhan on selection of ‘outsider’ Navdeep Saini to India squad. Am told black armbands are available in Bangalore too for INR 225 per roll!!! Sir, just remember Navdeep is an Indian first then comes his domicile @BCCI,” Gambhir tweeted a day after Saini’s maiden India call-up.
Bedi and Gambhir have never shared a great rapport and the legendary left-arm spinner was very critical about Gambhir’s alleged conduct with coach KP Bhaskar after their public fall-out at the end of the 2016-17 season.
