Virat Kohli: IPL 2023 has been an entertaining and competitive edition, marked by numerous high-scoring matches and new milestones across five venues. However, two off-field incidents involving RCB’s Virat Kohli have garnered significant attention in the cricketing world. The first was a no-handshake incident with Sourav Ganguly, followed by a viral video capturing a tense exchange between Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. These incidents prompted former India coach Ravi Shastri to issue an ultimatum to Kohli, citing examples of MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar as legendary cricketers.
Virat Kohli and rising conflicts
During the Chinnaswamy match between RCB and DC on April 15, Kohli directed two intense stare-downs at Ganguly. Following the game, Ganguly deliberately avoided shaking hands with Kohli, sparking controversy. This incident, along with the subsequent unfollowing of each other on Instagram, accentuated the ongoing tension between these prominent figures in Indian cricket. It serves as an increase in the issues that arose in December 2021 when Ganguly held the position of BCCI president.
On May 1, after RCB secured an 18-run victory against LSG at the Ekana Stadium, Kohli found himself engaged in a heated moment with Gambhir. This match also witnessed a flashpoint between Kohli and LSG’s Naveen-ul-Haq, leading to a tense handshake at the conclusion of the game that required Glenn Maxwell’s intervention.
In light of these occurrences, there appears to be heightened attention from cameramen on Kohli’s actions during post-match proceedings, including handshakes with fellow players and his interactions with opponents.
What did Ravi Shastri say?
In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Shastri highlighted that cricketing legends like Dhoni and Sachin had also faced similar scrutiny due to their immense contributions to the sport. However, they demonstrated exceptional professionalism in handling such situations. Shastri therefore advised Kohli to exercise caution and be mindful of the cameras after matches, particularly in light of the events that unfolded in Lucknow the previous week.
He stated, “After the sequence of events last week, someone like a Kohli, someone like a Dhoni…Dhoni knows, he’s a pro, that there is a camera on you and that is because you guys deserve it after what you guys contributed to the game. There will a camera on you, like there was on Sachin Tendulkar. Remember once the game is over, the camera is on you all the time until you get into that dressing room. You need to be careful, it’s like you are flagged off. If you have that in your mindset…camera, and once the game is over, you will be fine. You can get a lot of brownie points using that camera.”
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Ganguly – Kohli’s cheerful moment
Regarding Ganguly, it appears that the duo has resolved their differences, as they were captured shaking hands by the camera after the recent RCB-DC match in Delhi last week. This gesture was widely praised on social media platforms.
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