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Cricket Players'It can spill over': Sunil Gavaskar lauds umpires for intervening during Virat Kohli-Ben Stokes on-field exchange
India vs England: Speaking on Star Sports' during the Lunch break, Sunil Gavaskar said that things like that (Virat Kohli-Ben Stokes exchange) could spill over, and hence it was a nice job done there by the umpires.
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar praised umpires Nitin Menon and Virender Sharma for intervening during the heated exchange between India captain Virat Kohli and England allrounder Ben Stokes on Thursday. The duo never shy away from a conversation in the middle, and in the first session of Day 1 of the 4th Test between the two teams at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad, the two were involved in an on-field episode that appeared to be getting out of hands before the two umpires took charge and put a stop to it.
India vs England 4th Test Day 1 - LIVE!
The moment took place at the end of the 13th over when Stokes said a few words to pacer Mohammed Siraj after he finished the over with a bouncer. The bowler walked back without replying but Kohli took the matter into his own hands and went up to Stokes as he was in a discussion with his teammate Jonny Bairstow.
Also read: Virat Kohli and Ben Stokes involved in heated exchange, umpires intervene: WATCH
The discussion continued for a few moments but just when it looked like it might escalate, Menon and Sharma intervened and took the matter into their own hands.
Speaking on Star Sports' during the Lunch break, Gavaskar said that things like that could spill over, and hence it was a nice job done there by the umpires.
"These kinds of things do happen. The heat is on. That's why I got my hat on as well. These kinds of things can sometimes spill over.
"The bowler said something to the batsman, the batsman said something to the bowler, and it can spill over," Gavaskar said.
"But it was good to see the umpires coming and making sure it's nipped before it gets ugly. It's part of the game, both players are doing their darndest for the country, trying to win the game, and therefore the emotions can sometimes get the better of you," he further said.
England lost three wickets in the first session, with spinner Axar Patel dismissing the openers, and seamer Siraj getting rid of captain Joe Root. Bairstow and Stokes settled down the visitors after early wickets.
