England legend James Anderson has disclosed that he initiated the exchange of words with Shubman Gill, leading to a tense confrontation between the Indian batter and Jonny Bairstow on the concluding day at Dharamsala.
The Test series between India and England had, for the most part, been well-mannered, with the visiting team's frustrations mainly revolving around grievances concerning the Decision Review System prior to the final Test.
However, a moment of contention arose during the fifth Test match when Bairstow and Gill engaged in a verbal altercation as soon as the former took to the crease during the latter stages of England's innings defeat. Bairstow took offense to something Gill had uttered to Anderson whilst batting en route to his century.
“What did you say to Jimmy about him retiring?” Bairstow asked.
“I told him he should retire,” Gill responded.
The exchange persisted, with Bairstow noting that Gill had been dismissed shortly after his taunt, and the duo trading insults about each other's absence of centuries in the series and overall, respectively.
Anderson has now revealed that Gill's remark to him wasn't the initial word spoken in the altercation.
“I said something to him like, ‘Do you get any runs outside India?’ and he said, ‘It’s time to retire’,” He spoke on the Tailenders podcast. “Then two balls later, I got him out.”
Anderson also revealed another, more good-natured exchange between him and Kuldeep Yadav, with the India wrist-spinner predicting he would become the legendary fast bowler’s 700th Test wicket.
“Kuldeep edged one down to third man for a single and as he got to the non-striker’s end and as I was walking back to my mark, he said, ‘I’m going to be your 700th wicket’,” Anderson said.
“He wasn’t saying he was trying to get out, he was just saying he had a feeling. We both laughed at it.” Kuldeep was indeed Anderson’s milestone scalp.
It must be noted India defeated England 4-1 in the five-match series.
- James Anderson
- Shubman Gill