West Indies fast bowler Shannon Gabriel reflected upon the verbal altercation he had with England skipper Joe Root in the last Test series played between the two teams in the Caribbean the previous year. 

Gabriel thinks the flare-up with Root was "blown way out of proportion", as he received a four-match ban after a homosexual slur against Root, asking him "do you like boys?" during the third Test in St Lucia in February 2019, with Root replying: "there's nothing wrong with being gay."

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While there is greater acceptance of same-sex relationships around the world, Homosexual activity remains illegal in Gabriel's native Trinidad. 

"I don't really think about that too much, don't want to harp on about it," he told reporters in a conference call ahead of the next month's return Test series in the UK. 

"The way they dealt with it was blown way out of proportion. I just want to move on," Gabriel added. "No hard feelings, I've come here to play cricket, whether it's Joe Root or Ben Stokes or whoever, I'm going to do to the best of my ability to try to get them out, not like targeting one player."

Given that this series will be played entirely behind closed doors due to COVID-19 pandemic, with no crowd noise, the microphones are expected to catch any kind of verbal abuse. 

Gabriel, however, doesn't think that would mean players completely changing their mentality and not indulging in any sort of banter on the field. 

"You can't get away from a little personal banter as long as it stays within the rules of the game and it's not disrespectful. I don't think much will change," he said.

"When you step on the field you are playing for your country and if you are not going out there to give 100 percent, I don't think you should be out there."

Both Root and Gabriel could end up missing the first Test to be played in Southampton from July 8. Root, because of the expected birth of his second child and Gabriel, as he is still recovering from a left ankle injury, which is also why he was only chosen among the 11 reserves and not the main 14-man playing squad. 

Good news is that the fast bowler reckons he is "85-90 per cent fit" ahead of the next week's practice match. 

The second and third Tests of the bio-secure series will be played in Manchester. 

(Inputs from AFP)