Besides the batting exploits of Gautam Gambhir (149 not out), Sachin Tendulkar (68) and VVS Laxman (54 not out) there were a couple of incidents that grabbed the eyeballs, one a tad severe than the other, on the opening day of the third Test against Australia at the Kotla on Wednesday.
Before getting into the details of the latter incident per se, it is imperative here to say that the Indian team management is yet to file an official complaint regarding the same.
Simon Katich got into a tiff with Gambhir in his third over. The part-time bowler was seen hurling abuse at the Indian opener and the latter retaliating. Television replays confirmed that the bowler had blocked the batsman while he tried to steal a single and the latter made his displeasure clear.
Then ensued verbal diarrhoea.
The incident took a nasty turn when Katich became aggressive during the subsequent over, bowled by Michael Clarke. The war-of-words was of higher intensity on this occasion. Both Clarke and umpire Billy Bowden had to intervene to ensure things did not get far.
Asked about the incident, Clarke went on the defensive.
"I don't know exactly what was said but I was sure that something was happening," he clarified. "So, I just wanted to make sure that we leave it at that and get on with the game."
Gambhir, on his part, tried to play down the issue as well.
"When you are playing international cricket such things tend to happen," he said. "But one has to keep his concentration on the game.
"Had I lost my focus then, I would have lost my wicket as well."
Gambhir was also party to yet another incident, this time involving Shane Watson.
While taking a run he happened to elbow Watson, who, obviously, was not too amused. Watson bowled a nasty bouncer in his next over, but Gambhir responded by lofting him for a six over long-on to bring up his third Test ton. Afterwards, the batsman didn't give the incident much thought either.
"It was not deliberate," clarified Gambhir. "And he could have in no way run me out." Overall, it was a career-best 149 not out and two 'minor' tiffs, all in a day's work for Gambhir.
Besides, he put on 130 runs with Tendulkar for the third wicket and another 139 runs for the fourth with VVS Laxman (54 not out). And, at the end, he wasn't complaining.
