As an Indian Premier League 2023 game between Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore turned sour, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli clashed in the public eye of those watching from near and far. Now, Gambhir has explained his reasons for squaring up to Kohli in the aftermath of that game
Former Lucknow Super Giants mentor and India international Gautam Gambhir has broken his silence over a public spat with Virat Kohli that took place at the end of an Indian Premier League 2023 match between his team and Royal Challengers Bangalore. (More Cricket News)
Gambhir, as had happened, clashed with Kohli on the field amid a massive altercation between the two sides, one that also included Kohli squaring up against Naveen-ul-Haq and Amit Mishra.
Speaking recently, Gambhir stated that he was simply defending his players on the occasion.
“As a mentor, no one can come and walk over my players. I have got a very different belief. Till the time game was on, I had no right to interfere. Once the game was over, if someone still gets into a heated argument with my players, I've got all right to defend them,” Gambhir said on a podcast with ANI.
Gambhir is coming in fresh off a controversy, after he and his former India teammate S Sreesanth clashed in the ongoing Legends League Cricket. Sreesanth claimed that Gambhir repeatedly called him 'fixer' during their altercation, forcing the umpires to separate the pair.
"Just wanted to clear the air with what happened with Mr fighter. One who always fights with all his colleagues. For no reason whatsoever. He does not even respect his own senior players, including Viru Bhai (Virender Sehwag)," Sreesanth said.
"That's exactly what happened today. Without any provocation, he just kept on calling me something which was very rude which shouldn't have been said by Mr Gautam Gambhir."
The tournament organizers are internally investigating the matter, with Gambhir in line for a strict punishment if he is found guilty of misconduct.