The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) witnessed a heartfelt moment between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, two players who have had their fair share of history, embracing each other and putting aside their differences.
Kohli slammed his 52nd fifty of the IPL on Friday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium against the Kolkata based franchise. The right-hand batter played an unbeaten inning of 83 runs from 59 balls, which was laced with four boundaries and four sixes.
Kohli and Gambhir seem to have resolved their conflict from last season, as they shook hands during their match. During the strategic time-out in the first inning, Gambhir and Kohli exchanged hugs and handshakes.
During Bengaluru’s league-stage encounter versus Lucknow in IPL 2023, Kohli and Gambhir got into a heated argument on the pitch. The 2023 incident was not Kohli and Gambhir’s first clash on the cricket pitch. When Gambhir was captain of Kolkata and Kohli led Bengaluru in 2013, the two got into a heated fight, even pushing each other before being separated by their teammates.
Their rivalry reappeared in 2023 when Kohli engaged in an on-field incident with Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who plays for Lucknow. After the defeat, Gambhir urged his players not to speak to Kohli and even charged towards the Indian batter before being stopped by Lucknow players.
After the match, Gambhir explained his actions by stating that he would support any of his players, and that those with a higher social media presence cannot walk over other players.
“It is not about Naveen-ul-Haq. I would have defended any player, that is my job, that is how I am. Why should I not defend my players just because someone has a broadcaster working for him, left, right and centre? Someone who has more social media presence doesn’t have any right to walk over someone,” Gambhir said in 2023 after the match in an interview.
