New Delhi: The second Ashes Test's controversial dismissal of Jonny Bairstow on Day 4 has caused a stir all around. Alex Carey, the wicketkeeper for Australia, thought the ball was dead but it wasn't, so he ran Bairstow out. He let the ball fly, believing it to be the end of the over, but a quick-thinking Carey lobbed the ball back on to the stumps to cause a stump out. Even though Bairstow was sent out, it was pretty much within the bounds of the regulations, and many questioned Australia's strategies for taking a wicket in the way they did.

The Bairstow wickets proved to be a crucial turning moment in the match as England, despite Ben Stokes' incredible century, were all out for 327 in need of 371 runs to win. The removal did, however, spark a global uproar with angry English supporters. Australians were referred to as "cheaters" and other things as a sea of boos broke out.

Despite all the fanfare surrounding the firing, Gautam Gambhir remained unimpressed and referred to those who were challenging the decision as "sledgers."

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"Hey sledgers... Does spirit of the game logic apply to you or is it just for Indians?" a visibly irate Gambhir tweeted.

Hey sledgers….does spirit of the game logic apply to u or is it just for Indians?

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) July 2, 2023

After reading his tweet, it's impossible not to think back to the 2011 Nottingham Test between India and England at Trent Bridge, where Gambhir played, when a slightly related event involving Ian Bell took place. The former captain of England was mistaken by stepping outside of his crease because he believed the ball had been hit for a four when it hadn't.

Praveen Kumar appeared to foul up an Ishant Sharma delivery that Eoin Morgan had clipped towards square leg. But did he? Even though Kumar thought it was a boundary, the ball appeared to have been clipped back, according to the replay. After retrieving the ball, MS Dhoni pitched it to the fielder who removed the bails. Bell, who was outside the crease, was given out even though the ball wasn't yet dead.

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The Indian squad left the pitch to a clatter of boos as it also signalled the end of the session since the spectators felt it went against the spirit of cricket. Surprisingly, Bell received a thunderous welcome when he stepped out to bat when the teams resumed play after lunch. Dhoni and Team India withdrew their appeal, rendering the ruling unnecessary. It appears that Sachin Tendulkar persuaded Dhoni to retract the withdrawal. The fact that India was the current world champions at the time after winning the World Cup three months earlier may perhaps have something to do with it.

Ironically, these discussions are quiet when it comes to England, whether it was Stuart Broad standing his ground while clearly edging the ball to slips against Australia at the 2013 Ashes or Ben Stokes' controversial dive in the 2019 World Cup final when the ball ricocheted off his bat while he was going for a boundary in what turned out to be a tight finish.

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