Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli bury ghosts of ugly IPL spat with internet-breaking hug during RCB vs KKR clash

 Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli bury ghosts of ugly IPL spat with internet-breaking hug during RCB vs KKR clash

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir buried the hatchet on Friday with an internet-breaking hug during the RCB-KKR match.

The IPL 2024 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was billed as the face-off between KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. This was their first meeting since that infamous night in Lucknow last year, where they had an ugly spat over a match situation, leaving cricket world in quite a shock. However, the two buried the hatchet on Friday with an internet-breaking hug during the RCB-KKR match.

In the lead-up to the match, footages of that incident at the Ekana Stadium, when Gambhir was the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants, was shown repeatedly with experts having their say on it. Kohli had a tiff with LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq during that IPL 2023 match last year, which led to the umpires intervening. The two later shared an intense handshake at the end of the game. Moments later, Kohli and Gambhir were seen charging at each other as an ugly scene broke out at the venue before the players from the respective sides stepped up to separate the two. All three were charged severely by BCCI for breach of conduct.

Moreover, a KKR video from the practice session in Bengaluru showed an Kohli with an icy-cold stare at Gambhir.

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However, during the timeout after the end of the 16th over, Kohli and Gambhir shared a warm hug and a short chat, before exchanging smiles as well. Kohli was having water as he chatted with his teammate as Gambhir walked past him and then hugged him. Kohli smiled throughout the small chat before the India legend walked back to the KKR dugout.

Watching the million-dollar scene, former India head ciach Ravi Shastri erupted in the commentary box saying, “Good to see… Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir."

Put to bat first at home on Friday, RCB lost their skipper Faf du Plessis early in the match, with KKR fast bowler Harshit Rana deceiving the opener with a slower delivery. Kohli then combined with Cameron Green in a 65-run stand for the second wicket before being ably assisted by Glenn Maxwell in a 42-run stand. En route to the second big partnership, Kohli reached his half-century knock in 36 balls, laced with two boundaries and three huge sixes. The camera man had caught Gambhir with a gloomy look in the dugout during the onslaught.

This was Kohli's second half-century score in the ongoing IPL 2024, having smashed 77 off 49 against Punjab Kings last week at the very same venue.

RCB have so far managed to win one and lose one in the tournament. They lost their season opener at the Chepauk against Chennai Super Kings on March 22, but bounced back strongly against PBKS at the Chinnaswamy to record a win. RCB are now aiming for a first win against KKR at home since 2015.