IND vs NZ: Viral 'Gutka' man irritated with attention; says 'I wasn't eating tobacco'

Team India debutant Shreyas Iyer's half-century on Day 1 of India vs New Zealand 1st Test at the Greenpark stadium in Kanpur turned hilarious after a man talking on the phone and supposedly chewing 'Gutka (tobacco)' went viral on social media. As fans were celebrating and cheering for Shreyas Iyer's first half-century in a Test match, cameramen found a man sitting beside a woman talking on his mobile phone.

However, the fact that he was seen chewing tobacco or gutka became the talking point of the virtual world. Even personalities like Dr Kumar Vishwas and former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer took a dig at the viral picture and video of the 'Gutka man'. 

Now, as per the ANI report, the viral 'Gutka Man' has been identified as Shobit Pandey, who is a resident of Maheshwari Mahol in Kanpur. Pandey, on Friday, again came to witness the Test clash at the Green Park Stadium with a placard which read - "Eating tobacco is a bad habit", in Hindi.

Shobit shared that he has been irritated after all the attention he has been getting on social media and refused that he was eating tobacco on Day 1 of the India vs New Zealand first Test. 

"First of all, I would like to clarify that I wasn't eating tobacco. I was eating betel nut and was on call in with my friend, who was also watching the match in the same stadium but in a different stand," Shobit told ANI. 

"It was just a call of almost ten seconds and it went viral. My friend whom I was talking to was the one who broke the news to me that the video has gone viral. It went like a fire," he added.

He further said the only thing which is bothering him is that his sister, who had accompanied him at the stadium and was also seen in the viral video, is receiving nasty comments from some people.

"I didn't do anything wrong, that is why I am not scared or embarrassed about this. I am just concerned that some people are passing nasty comments about my sister. And on the other hand, I am getting numerous calls from media houses and other people regarding the whole scenario and now I am getting irritated," said Pandey.

Fans in split after 'Gutka Man' video goes viral

(Image: ANI/Twitter)