PremiumAsia Cup 2023: Did Gautam Gambhir, amid 'Kohli' chants, flip crowd the bird? Video goes viral
There are two narratives that have been doing the rounds on social media.
Last Updated: 09.44 PM, Sep 04, 2023
Gautam Gambhir is once again entangled in a social media controversy, this time due to a viral video depicting him making an inappropriate gesture towards the crowd during the Asia Cup 2023 match between India and Pakistan.
As a member of the Asia Cup broadcasting team, Gambhir seemed to lose his composure when the crowd began chanting Virat Kohli's name. The specific cause of Gambhir's frustration remains unclear, but the video has garnered considerable attention on platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
From what can be seen in the video, it seems to have been recorded during a rain break. While both teams were taking a break near the dugout and changing room, Gambhir was seen walking near the sight screen. Although the complete sequence of events is not fully captured, as Gambhir was heading back, his attention appeared to shift to a section of the crowd chanting 'Kohli-Kohli.'
However, some believe that Gambhir lost his cool with some fans who were chanting slogans against India.
Gambhir's history with Kohli:
While they were India teammates from 2008 to 2011, their relationship took a competitive turn during a heated exchange in the IPL 2012 game. Gambhir's aggressive send-off to Kohli did not sit well with the young Kohli, leading to a verbal altercation between the two Delhi teammates. Despite assurances from both Kohli and Gambhir about their relationship, a lingering tension seemed to persist.
Kohli and Gambhir did not cross paths frequently until the IPL 2023, where their interactions garnered attention during a match between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
Following LSG's victory in their first encounter, the spotlight fell on Gambhir's intense handshake with Kohli after the match, sparking extensive discussion. Fortunately, the issue appeared to have been resolved, with Kohli and Gambhir even posing for a photo together to quell media speculation.
However, this reconciliation proved short-lived as in the second leg of the game, Kohli's confrontation with Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq escalated before Gambhir, who was serving as LSG's mentor, intervened.
Visuals of Gambhir and Kohli exchanging heated words took centre stage during the match. A few days later, a video captured Gambhir's reaction to 'Kohli-Kohli' chants, where he responded with a stern gaze before entering the dressing room.