Former England skipper Michael Atherton has tried to make peace between Sunil Gavaskar and Nasser Hussain after their war of words in the last few days. Hussain had commented that Virat Kohli’s current Indian team don’t be bullied like the previous Indian sides.

Gavaskar lashed back at Nasser for his comment and asked to mention which team was bullied in the past and what exactly means being bullied.

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“I have come to offer peace from Nasser Hussain’s behalf after what happened yesterday,” Atherton said on Sony Sports Network.

However, Gavaskar stuck to his words. “I never took a backward step so I’m not gonna do that even now. This should be pretty much known to those who know me by now,” Gavaskar said.

He pointed out how the past Indian teams were also tough and had found success in overseas conditions.

“You said this India will not be bullied as perhaps the previous generations would be. Belonging to the previous generation, could you perhaps enlighten which generation? And what is the exact meaning of bully?” Gavaskar asked Hussain during a pre-match show on Sony Sports.

Hussain tried explaining his words to Gavaskar but it didn’t differ from what the Indian legend had assumed.

“I just think, the Indian side under the aggression of the past would have said ‘no no no’. But what Kohli has done is to make them go doubly hard.

“I saw a little bit of that in Sourav Ganguly’s side and he started that, Virat is continuing with it. Even when Virat was not there, Ajinkya really went hard at the Australians. I just don”t think you want to wake this Indian side up,” Hussain replied.

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However, Gavaskar had explained no previous generation was bullied.

“But when you say previous generations were bullied, I don’t think so. I’d be very upset if my generation was being talked about as being bullied. If you have a look at the record, in 1971 we won, that was my first tour in England.

“(In) 1974, we had internal problems so we lost 3-0. (In) 1979, we lost 1-0, it could have been 1-1 if we chased down 438 at the Oval (the match ended with India stranded at 429 for 8).

“(In) 1982, we again lost 1-0. In 1986 we won 2-0, we could have won it 3-0. So, I don’t think my generation we were bullied,” mentioned Gavaskar.