The highly publicized altercation between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir during the IPL 2023 remains a topic of discussion even after two months. The incident, where the two nearly came to blows following Royal Challengers Bangalore’s victory over Lucknow Super Giants, will be remembered as one of the most notorious spats in cricket history. Emotions escalated, even though Gambhir was not directly involved in the initial confrontation between Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq.
While the heated exchange was between Kohli and Naveen, Gambhir’s presence made it evident that he would not tolerate any misconduct towards his players. Kohli and Naveen continued their altercation through cryptic Instagram stories, while Gambhir broke his silence, stating, “If there is an argument between us, it stays only on the field, not off field. There’s nothing personal.”
According to former Pakistan opener Ahmed Shehzad, Gambhir’s actions are driven by jealousy towards Kohli. Shehzad, once regarded as Pakistan’s version of Kohli due to their similar appearances, believes that Gambhir’s behavior towards his former India teammate indicates a desire to pick fights.
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As per the quotes in Hindustan Times, Ahmed Shehzad said, “It was really sad to see what happened. I can understand the on-field altercation between that Afghanistan player (Naveen) and Virat Kohli. These things happen. But it is hard to comprehend why Gambhir would target a player from his own country, who is currently the world’s biggest player. The gestures he showed against Kohli were not right. As viewers, our perception has changed, and our feelings have been hurt.”
“It seemed as if Gambhir tried to create something out of jealousy. In the IPL, if an Indian superstar is being targeted by someone, in this case Naveen, it implies that there is hatred brewing inside the dressing room. Only then does a player gain the confidence to misbehave,” Shehzad expressed on The Nadir Ali podcast.
Ahmed Shehzad reflected on their infamous face-off ten years ago, which was the first time their apparent issues came to light. The origin of the animosity between the two remains a mystery. After all, Gambhir once shared his Player of the Match award with Kohli to celebrate the latter’s maiden ODI century. So, how did this coldness develop? Shehzad makes a bold claim, suggesting that things turned sour once Kohli surpassed all levels of superstardom, a level that Gambhir, in his words, could only dream of reaching.
“We have witnessed Gambhir’s issues with Kohli in the past as well. I think he is jealous of Kohli and always seeks an opportunity to create controversy with him. I have never seen anyone misbehave with Kohli. He is a legend of the game, and he deserves respect. And now, Gambhir is offering excuses. He mentioned once sharing his Man-of-the-Match award with Kohli,” Ahmed Shehzad asserted.
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“I believe he has not been able to accept the respect and success that Kohli has achieved. What Kohli has accomplished at such a young age, Gambhir couldn’t achieve throughout his entire career. If you are truly a big player, or have a big heart, this should not be your demeanor. You should acknowledge your mistake and apologize to him. I have never seen a staff member intervene in a tiff between two players.”
The tensions between Kohli and Gambhir continue to draw attention, leaving fans and pundits speculating about the root cause and if a resolution will ever be reached.
