In an ANI podcast, Gautam Gambhir reiterated his defense of Naveen during the IPL 2023 spat with Virat Kohli, emphasizing his belief as a mentor to shield his players.
The IPL 2023 clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants witnessed a heated exchange between Virat Kohli, Naveen-ul-Haq, and Amit Mishra. Post-match, tensions escalated when Kohli and Naveen had a confrontation during handshakes, followed by Kyle Mayers engaging with Kohli.
This led to a stern exchange between Gambhir and Kohli, causing a commotion as players intervened. Subsequently, the BCCI imposed substantial fines on Kohli, Gambhir, and Naveen due to the incident, marking one of the most intense on-field altercations during the year’s IPL.
READ MORE | Virat Kohli Engages in a Heated Argument With Naveen-Ul-Haq and Gautam Gambhir After RCB’s Win
Despite Kohli and Naveen reconciling during the recent World Cup, Gambhir remains upset over the incident. In an ANI podcast, Gambhir asserted his role as a mentor, emphasizing his duty to defend players, and expressing his belief that no one should intimidate or disrespect them on or off the field.
“As a mentor, no one can come and walk over my players. I have a very different belief. Till the time the 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 stated.
Gambhir’s history of on-field altercations is well-documented, notably engaging in verbal clashes with Kohli in 2013 and 2016 while captaining Kolkata Knight Riders. Recently, during the Legends League Cricket 2023 Eliminator, a dispute arose with S Sreesanth, who accused Gambhir of labeling him a ‘fixer.’ Sreesanth publicized the incident on Instagram, leading to LLC management’s investigation.
READ MORE | LLC 2023 Drama: Sreesanth Accuses Gautam Gambhir of Persistent ‘Fixer’ Taunts
Last Updated on December 9, 2023
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