Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) embraced Gautam Gambhir during a strategic break in the first innings of the IPL 2024 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. Gambhir was with KKR support personnel at the site because he is their mentor this season.
The unique moment came at the conclusion of 16 overs, when the umpires called for the second strategic break. Gautam Gambhir entered the pitch to discuss strategy with his KKR teammates, as Kohli remained undefeated at the crease for RCB.
After noticing each other on the field, they shook hands, followed by a joyful side embrace. The two also shared a few friendly remarks before continuing to their work. The incident drew fans’ attention since Gambhir and Kohli have a history of intense on-field clashes in the IPL over the years.
You may view the moment in the following posts:
Virat Kohli’s Unbeaten 83 Propels RCB to 182/6 in IPL 2024 Showdown against KKR
RCB batted first in the match after losing the toss. Captain Faf du Plessis (8) was dismissed cheaply in the second over, as Harshit Rana handed KKR an early lead. Virat Kohli then kept the innings together with an anchoring knock of 83* (59), allowing other batsmen around him to contribute with big shots.
Cameron Green (33), Glenn Maxwell (28), and Dinesh Karthik (20) assisted Kohli in the batting department. Virat Kohli hit four sixes and as many fours during his 83-run performance, finishing undefeated and leading RCB to a respectable total of 182/6 on a tough pitch.
During the mid-innings break, RCB all-rounder Cameron Green said:
“We’re pretty happy with the total. We saw how the pitch is playing, so hopefully it stays the same in the second innings. (Batting at no.3) I love playing there, getting a lot of freedom. It’s always fun to bat with Virat. Good fun again today. There are certain bowlers in those teams I’ve never played before and he’s played them 15 times.
“So there was plenty to pick up. (Surface) They had a pretty good blueprint with the way they wanted to bowl. There seems to be a bit of bounce. Hopefully, the dew won’t come into play.”
Cameron Green