New Delhi: Indian great Sunil Gavaskar criticised England batsman Jonathan Trott for breaching the spirit of the game after he forced the on-field umpires for a TV referral for a catch that he clearly spilled at the slips on the opening day of the first Test.

"It was quite clear that the spirit of cricket was breached. I think there should have been a sanction against Trott," Gavaskar told NDTV.

Gavaskar compared the event with an incident that happened in the past when a Pakistani player appealed against Sir Ian Botham.

"The way he claimed it, I believe that we have seen in the past when there was a Pakistani wicketkeeper who appealed against Ian Botham. That was a similar situation and the English media tore him (Pakistan player) apart. I don't know what the English media has written now but I do believe if that particular thing needed a sanction (this should also)," said the former Indian skipper.

Virat Kohli when batting on four in the post tea session, he offered a catch to Trott at the first slip off Graeme Swann’s bowling.

The ball hit his body and he dived backward to take the catch. However in the process he spilled the ball and collected the ball from the ground before appealing for the wicket. The on-field umpires referred to the TV umpire and the replays clearly showed that it was a dropped chance.

"If he (Trott) had said he didn't know what had happened, it would have been a different situation. But he was actually accepting high-fives from the bowler, the fielders and that means he was quite sure that it was a catch,” said the Indian batting legend.

By Indian Sports News Network