The cricketing world witnessed a heartwarming moment of reconciliation on Sunday during the IPL match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. This comes exactly a year after a tense encounter between former Indian captain Virat Kohli and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly fueled rumors of a rift between the two.
A Look Back: Virat Kohli-Sourav Ganguly spat
In 2021, Virat Kohli‘s removal from ODI captaincy by the BCCI, then led by Ganguly, sparked a public controversy. This decision reportedly created a rift between Kohli and the board’s administration. Kohli subsequently relinquished his Test captaincy role in early 2022, further straining the relationship.
The tension became evident during the IPL 2023 season when Virat Kohli exchanged icy stares with Sourav Ganguly, who was then the DC director of cricket. They even reportedly avoided a post-match handshake.
A Turning Point: Handshakes and Smiles
However, a semblance of peace was restored later in the 2023 season in the reverse fixture in Delhi when Kohli and Ganguly shook hands after their respective teams clashed in Delhi.
Sourav Ganguly gesture for Virat Kohli
Fast forward to a year later, and the narrative took a more heartwarming turn. Following RCB’s dominant victory over DC, during the customary post-match handshakes, Sourav Ganguly displayed a gesture of immense respect towards Kohli.
He not only shook Kohli’s hand but also went the extra mile by removing his cap as a sign of respect. Kohli acknowledged the gesture with a warm smile and a “Thank you.” This act stood out as Ganguly treated the other RCB players with a regular handshake.
A New Chapter?
While the full extent of their reconciliation remains unknown, Ganguly’s gesture undoubtedly signifies a thawing of relations between him and Kohli. With both figures holding significant positions in Indian cricket, such a positive development bodes well for the sport’s future.
RCB Winning streak in IPL 2024
Meanwhile, RCB’s emphatic win marked their fifth consecutive victory in IPL 2024, propelling them to the fifth position in the points table and keeping their playoff hopes alive. Delhi, on the other hand, slipped to the sixth position after this loss, played without their suspended captain Rishabh Pant.
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