Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir has been a phenomenon in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with the two players frequently seen engaging in heated exchanges in the tournament. After a stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Gautam Gambhir is back as the mentor with KKR and things are expected to intensify as his franchise faces RCB at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru today.

Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir: Pretty Beginnings

In cricket, nothing is as random as it may seem. Virat Kohli joined the Indian cricket team when Gautam Gambhir was at fag end of his cricketing career. The duo came together pretty well as Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir liked to play in the same No.3 position.

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir played several strong innings for India together and appreciated each other well in the post-match presentations. In 2009, Gautam Gambhir gave away his man of the match title to Virat Kohli after the duo led Team India to a massive 7-wicket win over Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir: The Ugly Turn

Ahead of the IPL 2012 and 2013, there were rumors that everything was not well between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. The senior player was reportedly unhappy with Kohli’s energetic outburst on grounds. The feud between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir came to the forefront for the first time during IPL 2013, when Gautam Gambhir gave a mouthful sendoff to Virat Kohli.

The young player turned back and walked towards Gautam Gambhir as both players exchanged words, and the KKR player Rajat Bhatia had to intervene to diffuse the situation.

A similar thing happened during IPL 2015 when Gautam Gambhir celebrated his team’s victory with some aggression and had an altercation with Virat Kohli with high emotions all around. Gambhir even kicked the chair in the dugout and was later fined for this action.

The most recent public exchange came in IPL 2023 when Virat Kohli and LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq argued about something on the field. As LSG’s coach, Gautam Gambhir defended his player after the match and was seen in an animated exchange with Virat Kohli.

After retiring from cricket, Gautam Gambhir used every opportunity to take a dig at Virat Kohli and also expressed displeasure at broadcasters, who focus on the game of only some players to make them a brand.

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Published: 29 Mar 2024, 05:04 PM IST