The on-field altercation between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq, with the involvement of Gautam Gambhir, became a focal point of discussion during the IPL 2023 season. This incident unfolded during a match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
Initially sparked by a disagreement between Kohli and Naveen, the situation escalated rapidly when LSG mentor Gambhir stepped in to support the Afghan bowler, leading to a confrontation between the former Indian teammates.
Naveen said: “We went to play our away match in Bengaluru. That’s where it all started. We won that game – it was very close – so one of our players [Avesh Khan] threw the helmet in excitement after scoring the winning runs. Virat Kohli probably didn’t like it. Next, their team came to Lucknow. I think I went out to bat at No. 9 or 10 and we had pretty much lost the game by then.”
“So, I didn’t expect that I would be sledged. But when it happened, like I said, when someone starts, I can’t hold back. After the game, things continued during the handshake too. The sledging came from two guys – Kohli and Mohammed Siraj.”
Following the incident, all three players involved have offered their perspectives. Recently, Naveen provided insights into the contentious altercation. Notably, both Kohli and Gambhir have a history of tense encounters in previous IPL seasons, notably in 2013 when Kohli clashed with Gambhir, then captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Naveen said: “Gautam Gambhir got carried away [with the shush gesture] because in the previous game, when we needed 1 off 1, one of their bowlers wanted to run the non-striker out while running in to bowl. It was the last wicket. It got heated because the bowler missed taking the bails off.”
“Spirit-wise it wasn’t looking good because it had proven to be such a good game by then. It would have been a shame had it ended in a run out. Because of that, he wanted to silence the crowd. He is a passionate guy, and so is Virat.”
However, despite these past conflicts, during the ODI World Cup in October, Kohli and Naveen publicly reconciled, symbolized by a heartfelt embrace. This sequence of events underscores the intensity and drama that can unfold in professional cricket, where emotions often run high but can also lead to moments of reconciliation and mutual respect.
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