Gambhir called me ‘deshdrohi’ and fixer: Sreesanth opens up again

Former India fast bowler S Sreesanth has opened up about his controversial dispute with current India head coach Gautam Gambhir during a Legends League Cricket (LLC) match in December 2023, making fresh allegations about the exchange between the two former teammates.

Sreesanth had earlier claimed that Gambhir called him a “fixer” during the heated argument. In a recent interview with Lallantop, the former pacer shared more details of the confrontation, alleging that Gambhir also called him ‘deshdrohi’ (traitor) during the argument.

The controversial match

Recalling the incident, Sreesanth said the exchange began after he bowled a bouncer to Gambhir during the match. He said Gambhir, who understood his bowling well, responded aggressively after facing the delivery.

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“Gauti stepped out on the first ball and played it because he knows my game. He is a very good cricketer. I don’t know about the coaching part, but as a player he was excellent. After that, I bowled a bouncer,” Sreesanth said.

Personal remarks

According to Sreesanth, Gambhir then made personal remarks against him. He alleged that Gambhir said, “I own you,” before repeatedly calling him a “fixer”.

Sreesanth said he initially tried to check if Gambhir was alright, but the argument escalated. He alleged that Gambhir continued using abusive language and repeated the “fixer” remark along with ‘deshdrohi’.

‘Fixer’ allegation

The two players were part of India’s historic triumphs in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. However, their equation appears to have changed significantly after their playing careers.

Also read: KCA slams Sreesanth, says he is not acquitted of match-fixing allegations

The “fixer” allegation is linked to Sreesanth’s past controversy involving the 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing case. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had initially imposed a lifetime ban on him after allegations surfaced, which was later reduced to a seven-year suspension. The ban ended in 2020, allowing him to return to competitive cricket.

Gambhir has since moved into coaching and is currently the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team. Under his tenure, India have won major ICC titles, including the Champions Trophy 2025 and the T20 World Cup 2026.

Meanwhile, Sreesanth is an active cricket commentator and a content creator. He regularly shares cricket predictions on his social media handles and continues to play exhibition and franchise cricket in leagues.