Xtra Time Web Desk: It has been 72 hours since the feud broke out between RCB star batter Virat Kohli and Lucknow Super Giants mentor Gautam Gambhir after the IPL 2023 game at the Ekana Stadium on May 1. The bitter rivalry between both Virat and Gambhir dates to when the later was the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders. That heated exchanges between them are part of the IPL folklore.
The followers of Gautam Gambhir think Kohli has been bitter with his former India and Delhi colleague because the cricketer-turned-MP-turned-television expert has criticised his captaincy many times. There is also an incident that the two may not have forgotten when Kohli got KL Rahul included in the Indian team and eventually in the XI for a Test against England in Visakhapatnam (in 2016) when Gambhir was the designated opener for the game.
There is also an instance when Gambhir gave away his Man of the Match trophy to Kohli. Both Gautam and Virat scored hundreds in the same ODI, to power India to a win. During the presentation ceremony Gambhir have away his MOM trophy to Virat as it was his first ODI ton.
According to Gambhir, “He (Virat) batted well with me on that day and deserved it.”
Gambhir is very passionate like Kohli when it comes to winning matches. The former India opener had no regrets for his on-field arguments.
“When you talk about arguments on the field, I don’t have any regrets whatsoever. When you play for the team, you play to win. If I have heated arguments with anyone, I have no regrets whatsoever. I was trying to win the match for my team. Whatever happens on the field should be left there,” said Gambhir in an interview to Sports Taak.