'My relationship with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli...': Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on ugly face-off in IPL 2023

Gautam Gambhir opened up about his verbal spat with Virat Kohli in the IPL 2023. Gambhir also namedropped MS Dhoni in an eye-catching statement.

Weeks after his blockbuster showdown with Virat Kohli grabbed eyeballs during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has broken his silence about his relationship with the former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Former RCB skipper Kohli and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Gambhir had a heated exchange following Bangalore's win over KL Rahul and Co. in the 16th season of the cash-rich league last month.

Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir had a heated exchange in IPL 2023 (AP)

Teammates in India's 2011 World Cup-winning campaign, Gambhir and Kohli added another chapter to their heated IPL rivalry as the duo had a go at each other after RCB outclassed hosts LSG in match No. 43 of the IPL 2023. Kohli and Gambhir also had an ugly face-off when the latter was the face of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise in IPL 2013.

Sharing his views about his verbal spat with Kohli for the first time, LSG mentor Gambhir clarified that there was nothing personal between him and the ex-India captain. Attempting to play down the altercation, Gambhir also namedropped legendary cricketer MS Dhoni in an eye-catching statement.“My relationship with MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli is the same. If there is an argument between us, it stays only on the field, not off field. There’s nothing personal. They want to win as much as I do,” Gambhir said in an interview with News 18.

Kohli also had a heated exchange with LSG pacer Naveen-ul-Haq before the RCB skipper got involved in a fiery discussion with Kyle Mayers. Confronting Kohli for his post-match antics, Gambhir was seen charging towards the RCB superstar after the two had shaken hands. Ex-RCB skipper Kohli and LSG mentor Gambhir were fined 100 per cent of their match fees for breaching Article 2.21 of the IPL code of conduct at the time.

"Look, I have had many fights on cricket fields. It's not like I never fought. I have always ensured to let those fights and arguments stay at the cricket field only. The argument was between two people and it should stay within the cricket field and not outside it. A lot of people said many things. A lot of people demanded an interview for TRPs like they asked me to clarify. The thing that has happened between two people doesn't need to be clarified," Gambhir explained.