Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s on-field spat with Gautam Gambhir during the 2023 Indian Premier League season at the Bharat Ratna Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium. He expressed that it seemed as if the Lucknow Super Giants mentor tried to create a controversy out of jealousy.
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir engaged in a verbal spat following the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants match. Kohli was involved in an altercation with pacer Naveen-ul-haq earlier during the match. Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad opined that he couldn’t understand Gautam Gambhir’s gestures to Virat Kohli. Speaking on Nadir Ali’s Podcast, he said,
“By what I saw, it was really sad. I can understand what happened on the field between that Afghanistan player (Naveen) and Virat Kohli. These things happen, but what you can’t understand is why would Gambhir target a player of his own country, who is right now the world’s biggest player. The gestures he showed against Kohli were not right. Our perception as viewers have changed as our feelings have gotten hurt. It seemed as if Gambhir tried to create something out of jealousy.”
“IPL has a brand and if any Indian superstar is being said something by someone in this case Naveen it means that there is hatred spread inside the dressing room. Only then does a player get the confidence to go and misbehave,” he added.
Gautam Gambhir looks for an opportunity to pick up controversy with Virat Kohli: Ahmed Shehzad
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir were also involved in an on-field spat during the 2013 Indian Premier League season. Gautam Gambhir was the Kolkata Knight Riders skipper back then, while Virat Kohli was leading the Royal Challengers Bangalore. In the Nadir Ali Podcast, Ahmed Shehzad opined that Gautam Gambhir is looking to pick up controversies with Virat Kohli. He added that the former cricketer should respect Virat Kohli, as he is a legendary player.
“We have seen in the past as well that Gambhir has had problems with Kohli. I think he is jealous of Kohli and looks for an opportunity to pick up controversy with him. I have never seen anyone misbehave with Kohli. He is a legend of the game and you should respect him,” said Ahmed Shehzad.
“I feel he hasn’t been able to digest the respect and success Kohli has achieved. What he has achieved in such a young age, Gambhir couldn’t achieve it his entire career. If you’re really a big player, or big at heart, this shouldn’t be your gesture. You should realize your mistake, and apologise to him. I have never seen a staff from the management jump in a tiff between two players,” he added.
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