Even though not present at cricketing venues in a playing capacity nowadays, former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir still manages to be all over the news. If truth be told, it is quite rare for a commentator to garden so many views for his outspoken nature. Gambhir, however, doesn’t seem to be requiring a lot of effort to remain in the limelight.
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Gambhir, who recently explained why Ishan Kishan should be preferred over KL Rahul at No. 5 in the Indian ODI squad, was also the centre of the attraction for some wrong reasons last week. In a leaked viral video, the 41-year old was spotted showing his middle finger to the fans during the India-Nepal Asia Cup 2023 match in Pallekele.
Gambhir, who initially looked to be teased by chants around former India captain Virat Kohli, has now called Kohli’s career-best ODI knock as the “greatest ODI innings” by any Indian cricketer.
Gautam Gambhir Calls Virat Kohli’s 183 Better Than MS Dhoni’s 183 And Rohit Sharma Double Centuries
Chasing a 330-run target is never easy especially when one of your openers gets out without scoring a run. In 2012, the Indian team was in the exact same situation after Gambhir was dismissed for a duck. Kohli, who came in to bat at No. 3, scripted history in the form of his 11th ODI century.
The right-handed batter first shared a 133-run partnership for the second wicket alongside Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar only to follow it with another 172-run third-wicket stand with current captain Rohit Sharma. Kohli, who scored 183 (148) including 22 fours and a six, had successfully given signs of being one of the very best in the game in the near future.
Interestingly, this knock had also come against Pakistan in an Asia Cup match a decade before Kohli’s 47th ODI century in the format against the same opposition in the same competition yesterday. Speaking to Asia Cup 2023 host broadcaster Star Sports during one of the rain breaks on Monday, Gambhir considered Kohli’s knock to be better than former Indian captain MS Dhoni‘s career-best 183 and Sharma’s three double centuries.
Laying emphasis on the pressure of the situation, Gambhir rated Kohli’s knock above other memorable innings. Acknowledging that Indian players have scored double-centuries as well, Gambhir reckoned that the stakes are always different against Pakistan. Gambhir also reminded the viewers about the bowling attack of Pakistan comprising Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz and Saeed Ajmal at the time.
“If you see it [Kohli’s 183] in every contest, this is probably, it’s difficult for me to say, but I can say that this is probably the best One-Day innings by an Indian so far.”
“Many have scored double centuries for India since then. Five-six [seven] double tons have been scored [by Indians] but I don’t rate them above this knock by Kohli. If you take into account the kind of pressure that Kohli was under, the opposition, and the quality of the bowling attack that he was up against, I don’t think there can be a more extreme pressure situation than that.”
For the unversed, Sharma is the only cricketer to register three ODI double-centuries. However, all those innings had come while batting first. Dhoni’s 183, meanwhile, is another one of iconic innings played by an Indian. It was earlier this year that he had admitted to have received a year’s extension at the highest level because of the same. While Gambhir’s assessment has its own valid points, but Sharma’s and Dhoni’s innings were no less.
Why Did Gautam Gambhir Show An Obscene Gesture Towards Fans?
Talking to ANI after the incident, Gambhir clarified the fuss regarding showing an obscene gesture to the crowd. Claiming the viral video to be doctored, he said that some of the Pakistani fans were chanting anti-India slogans which forced him to respond in such a way. Gambhir further urged people to not believe everything they see on social media.
“Whatever is shown on social media, there is no truth to it. People show what they want to show on social media. What actually happened was there were anti-India slogans being chanted.”
That being said, assuming that Gambhir is wrong and the fans were indeed chanting Kohli’s name to poke fun at him, it wasn’t the first such instance. Gambhir, who has a history with Kohli, had engaged in a heated fight with him after an IPL 2023 match in Lucknow. Since then, fans have chanted Kohli’s name in front of Gambhir on several occasions.
