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'Kohli is an icon. Gambhir is...': Ravi Shastri's monumental statement on fracas in LSG vs RCB IPL match
Reflecting on the infamous verbal spat involving the two icons of the game, former India head coach Ravi Shastri urged the duo to bury the hatchet.
The clock can't be turned back on what happened between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered an impressive win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Monday. Veteran Indian batter Kohli and former India opener Gambhir were involved in an ugly face-off after match No.43 of the IPL 2023 between RCB and LSG at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.
Brothers in arms at the 2011 World Cup, former teammates Kohli and Gambhir made headlines for all the wrong reasons for reigniting their decade-old rivalry in the world's richest T20 league - the IPL. Reflecting on the infamous verbal spat involving the two icons of the game, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has simply urged the duo to bury the hatchet.
‘This could have been handled a lot better’
“I think the penny will drop in a day or two. And they will realise that this could have been handled a lot better. Both play for the same state and they have played enough cricket. Gautam is a double World Cup winner, and Virat is an icon. Both come from Delhi. I think the best thing would be to sit them both down and put an end to it. Once and for all,” Shastri said on Star Sports.
Besides his on-field altercation with Gambhir, former RCB skipper Kohli also had heated arguments with Naveen-ul-Haq and Kyle Mayers. Kohli and Gambhir were duly punished by BCCI. They admitted to a breach of IPL's Code of Conduct. While LSG bowler Naveen lost 50 per cent of his match salary, Gambhir and Kohli were fined 100 per cent of their match fees as theirs was deemed as a Level 2 offence, attracting higher penalties.
Sunil Gavaskar, however, suggested that a fine may not be enough and the players involved could have been suspended for a few games so that such an incident is not repeated on the cricket field.
Shastri said Gambhir and Kohli will have to sort their issues out before it continues till the next game.
“Whoever does it, the sooner the better, because you don’t want this to spill off. Carrying on, the next time they meet again there are words exchanged and one thing leads to another. The sooner the better. If I have to do it so be it,” he added.
KL Rahul's LSG are placed second on the IPL 2023 points table with 11 points from 10 matches. Kohli-starrer RCB side is ranked fifth on the IPL 2023 standings with 10 points from 9 matches this season.
