The IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants turned ugly when big names like Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir got into heated altercations during various points of the game. The two teams have a history, and during their first leg match in IPL 2023, LSG players and mentor Gambhir had given aggressive reactions after winning.
In the return leg of their fixture in Lucknow, Kohli was animated every time an LSG batter was getting dismissed, and he even got into a war of words with LSG’s Afghanistan recruit Naveen-ul-Haq in the 17th over. The match visuals showed that Amit Mishra, the other LSG batter at the crease, and the umpires separated Kohli from Naveen, even as Kohli kept pointing toward his shoe and saying something about the Afghanistan player.
After the match, LSG bowlers Naveen-ul-Haq and Kohli were seen exchanging words, and RCB’s Glenn Maxwell separated them. This was followed by Gambhir pulling away Kyle Mayers from a chat with Kohli. Just after that, Gambhir charged toward Kohli, even as LSG players, including the injured captain KL Rahul, restrained him. Eventually, Kohli and Gambhir were involved in a heated argument with players from both sides surrounding them.
Gambhir looked more animated and was repeatedly held back from charging toward Kohli by the LSG players and support staff. However, after the altercation, LSG captain KL Rahul had a lengthy chat with Kohli. Naveen walked by the two, but when Rahul called his LSG teammate in an attempt to broker peace, Naveen indicated that he was not interested and walked away.
Initially, Kohli was seen holding Gambhir’s shoulder, but as the heated exchange continued, veteran spinner Amit Mishra, RCB captain Faf du Plessis, and LSG assistant coach Vijay Dahiya stepped in to separate the duo. Kohli and Gambhir have played together for the Delhi state team, but they have had a history of face-offs.
The incident took place at LSG’s home ground on Monday during the IPL match. The two teams have been fierce competitors, and their history has led to heated altercations. Fans of both teams have expressed disappointment in the way the players behaved, and many have called for disciplinary action against the players involved. The IPL governing body is expected to investigate the incident and take appropriate action if necessary. The altercation has brought unwanted attention to both teams.
