The heated exchange between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli during the Lucknow Super Giants’ match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 1 continues to be a hot topic of discussion. It’s worth mentioning that after the game ended, Kohli engaged in a verbal altercation with LSG pacer Naveen-ul-Haq. However, Gambhir eventually intervened, leading to a heated argument between him and Kohli. As a consequence, both players were fined their entire match fees.
In reference to the entire incident, Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of the Indian cricket team, emphasized the importance for cricketers to be conscious of the presence of cameras and their conduct on the field. He further cautioned Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli that if such behavior were to occur again in the future, they could face the possibility of suspension.
Moreover, expressing his straightforward opinion on the incident, Shastri appeared to support imposing severe penalties on players who engage in on-field disputes, particularly if it occurs repeatedly. He also acknowledged that fans questioned why the altercation was shown on live television, which further complicated the situation. However, Shastri seemed to be in favor of the live telecast, stating that it would make players aware of their mistakes and encourage them to control their behavior accordingly.
Ravi Shastri on the Gautam Gambhir-Virat Kohli incident
Ravi Shastri identified two significant factors that contribute to on-field misconduct: the use of offensive language and the body language displayed by the involved player. Additionally, the former head coach of the Indian cricket team expressed support for player suspensions rather than just monetary fines, especially in cases where the misconduct is repeated.
“You need a little bit of confrontation on the field. Where you draw the line, the match referee is there to see the line. When you’re fined, once or twice you will be ok. A lot of people told me, this is IPL. This is a live telecast. Why were they showing two players fighting? Ok, fair point. Because the world saw it. Now, I will tell you the positive in that,” Shastri said.
“By seeing that, both the players will behave differently the next time. Because they will know there is a camera on them all the time. Then they will do the right thing for the massive audience that is watching. Kids, parents, friends. You then know what is the line. Have I used abusive language? Was my body language not right? Was that in the spirit of the game? Did I come across as a bad loser? All these things immediately come to the fore once you watch that footage and then you learn. If you don’t learn then another fine will be around the corner or a suspension,” he added.
Significantly, both Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have not secured their spots in the IPL playoffs. To secure their position, LSG needs to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their upcoming match, while RCB needs victories against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Gujarat Titans (GT) in their remaining two matches.
