Former Indian cricketer and Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) mentor Gautam Gambhir found himself in the spotlight during KKR’s recent face-off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The 36th game of the IPL 2024 tournament, held on Sunday, April 21, witnessed Gambhir engaged in an intense discussion with the fourth umpire.
Just before the commencement of the 18th over of the second innings, KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer appeared to signal towards Gambhir in the dugout after a conversation with the umpire. Responding swiftly, Gambhir, accompanied by KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit, approached the fourth umpire for a heated exchange.
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The crux of the argument stemmed from KKR’s desire to substitute Rahmanullah Gurbaz for Sunil Narine as a fielder, given that Narine had completed his bowling spell. The strategic move aimed to infuse fresh energy into the fielding unit for the crucial final overs of the match. However, the umpire promptly rejected KKR’s request, leading to Gambhir’s animated discussion.
— Nihari Korma (@NihariVsKorma) April 22, 2024
The incident quickly gained traction on social media platforms, further fueled by earlier controversies in the match, notably involving the dismissal of Virat Kohli under contentious circumstances due to the new ‘waist rule’.
Despite the off-field drama, KKR emerged victorious in a nail-biting encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, clinching the win on the last ball of the game. This triumph helped KKR maintain their second position in the IPL 2024 standings.
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With five wins and two losses in seven games, KKR is steadily making strides towards securing a playoff berth, currently boasting 10 points in the tournament. Bolstered by stellar performances from players like Sunil Narine, Phil Salt, and Andre Russell, KKR stands as a formidable contender for clinching their third IPL title in 2024.
