Watch: In what is considered one of the IPL’s most infamous on-field altercations, captains Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli were involved in an ugly spat during a 2013 IPL game between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore.
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Chasing 155 to win the game in Bengaluru, Virat Kohli, batting at No.3, sliced a full delivery from L Balaji towards deep extra cover, where Eoin Morgan completed an easy catch. As soon as Kohli started making his way to the pavilion, he stopped in his tracks, having possibly heard something from one of the fielders.
The KKR fielders converged to celebrate, but Kohli, visibly unhappy about something that was said to him, started walking towards Gautam Gambhir, who was equally charged up and retaliated. Before things worsened, both were pushed aside by Rajat Bhatia – the umpire, too, ushered Kohli to one side, while wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla tried to keep a riled up Gambhir in check.
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“I don’t think it’s the greatest thing to say something when someone’s already out,” said Harsha Bhogle on-air, “not the greatest thing to react – suddenly you got everyone talking about it.”
The Kohli dismissal did little to affect RCB’s chase though, who cruised to an eight-wicket win with 15 balls to spare.
“It happens in the heat of the moment. We don’t need to carry it off the field,” Gambhir said after the game. “It is a tough sport, no love lost.”
Watch the moment here:
