As the first Test between India and New Zealand is underway in Kanpur, one man that grabbed the attention of the cameraman was not any cricketer, but a fan sitting in the stadium.
Termed as ‘Gutka man’, t fan was caught on the camera chewing something, and the image, the video went viral on social media like a wildfire on the first day of the match. In the video, the man can be seen talking to someone on the phone while chewing while the girl sitting next to him looked at him saying they were on camera.Â
After the video became viral, ‘Gutkha man’ whose real name is Shobhit Pandey revealed to the media that he wasn’t eating gutkha or a paan masala but was chewing ‘meethi supaari‘ (sweet betel nut) which doesn’t have tobacco in it.Â
Pandey admitted that he is fond of chewing Gutka and also carried it along with him, but the security officials at the Kanpur stadium confiscated it. He had later asked his sister for a sweet betel nut and it was then that the camera put the focus on him.
Pandey, who is a businessman, even added that at the exact same moment he received a call from a fellow cricket enthusiast, who was asking his whereabouts.
Now after becoming a sensation on social media, Shobhit pledged that he would be leaving Gutka. In fact, on Day 2’s play, he went to the venue with a poster, reading ‘Gutka Khana Galat Baat Hai‘ (eating Gutka is wrong).
Spotted the Gutka Man! @WasimJaffer14 pic.twitter.com/X0QxegFg6l
— Akshay Rakshit (@akshayrakshit) November 26, 2021
As for the clash, India finally got their breakthrough on Day 3 after spinner R Ashwin sent Will Young back for 89 runs. The Kiwis had gone strong on Day 2 and had not lost any wicket.
However, Ashwin got the help of substitute wicketkeeper KS Bharat who got his first wicket. Bharat had come in place of Wriddhiman Saha who has stiffness in his neck. The BCCI medical team is treating him and monitoring his progress.Â
