Shastri-Naik spat: 'Have control over your language', says Sunil Gavaskar

Bengaluru, Oct 28: It is still not clear whether Team India Director Ravi Shastri "abused" the Wankhede Stadium pitch curator Sudhir Naik. But former India captain Sunil Gavaskar while commenting on the issue, has said, "you should have control over your language".

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In the 5th and series-deciding ODI at Mumbai on Sunday (October 25), India were handed a 214-run thrashing by South Africa. The visitors flayed the hosts' bowling attack and posted a mammoth 438/4 in 50 overs with 3 centurions - Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers.

After the South African batting innings, Shastri and India's bowling coach Bharat Arun reportedly got into a heated argument with Naik, a former India opener. The pitch curator later complained to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) that Shastri had "abused" him in Marathi.

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Now, Gavaskar, while speaking on the issue, felt it was wrong to blame the pitch for India's debacle. He however said home team needs to be given the wicket it asks for.

"What's wrong in the pitches suiting home teams? And when you do not get pitches to your liking there is bound to be frustration and sarcastic remarks may fly. But you should have control over your language," Gavaskar told "NDTV".

"When there is disappointment there are words spoken that you regret later. While Ravi (Shastri) has denied using abusive language, but Sudhir (Naik) said that he did so it's one person's version versus the other," he added.

Gavaskar, who was part of the TV commentary team for the match, said it was necessary to find out what the instructions were from MCA to Naik.

"It should also be found out that what did the Mumbai Cricket Association tell the curator. The team management can tell the state board how it wants the pitch and then it is conveyed to the curator, that's how it works. And it's not the first time that the team hasn't got its pitch. That's part of life, you lose a game, move on," he said.

India and South Africa will face off in 4-Test series starting in Mohali from November 5.

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