Why do Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir get away with boorish behaviour all the time?
Karun Nair replaces injured KL Rahul at Lucknow Super Giants
The scenes that unfolded after the acrimonious that game the appalling abusive argument between Gambhir and Kohli that was just one push or nudge away from it turning into a mass brawl underlined IPLs reputation as crickets rebellious wayward off-spring. It was also a new low for the worlds showpiece T20 event. This was worse than Harbhajan slapping Sreesanth here were two leaders behaving like trouble-making tennis-ball cricketers involved in a winner takes all weekend game at some West Delhipark, corner of a crowded Mumbaimaidan, a Kolkatapara or a Chennaischool compound.
Churlish or childish?
Their behaviour was more suited for a game with no real umpires, no television cameras, no role models in playing XI and no one with a reputation worth protecting. Two grown-ups, both fathers, one Member of Parliament and the other being world crickets biggest star they cant be publicly seen shaking off peace-makers around them and heading towards each other like truckers gripped by road rage.
Read
It just wasnt cricket: What Kohli, Gambhir & Naveen played on field
Since both Kohli and Gambhir are brands and also have an army of social media followers the former wins that race hands down their respective PR machinery has been on overdrive. Spin-doctors, in-house content generators and pliable cricket commentators have been given damage-control tasks. But this one is tough to pull off. The visuals are too powerful and way too many. When you are in a stadium full of cameras; you cant doctor the tapes, escape blame or take any moral high-ground. Once you enter the mud-pit, you can claim you have less dirt but still you will be taken to the cleaners. By dishing out the same punishment to both, the match-referee, the one aware of all facts, has given the same weightage to both indiscretions.
(from left to right) Lucknow Super Giants team mentor Gautam Gambhir, Lucknow Super Giants player Naveen-ul Haq and Royal Challengers Bangalore player Virat Kohli.
When the spat was shown live to the world interestingly the broadcaster historically known to blank out anything that brings IPL to disrepute didnt ask their cameras to look away on air was Anil Kumble. He has seen both Kohli and Gambhir closely.This is unacceptable. No matter what, you have to respect the opposition. You have to respect the game, he said.
Virender Sehwag
isnt known for his subtleness. He is best-suited to speak on this issue. Like Gambhir and Kohli, he too did the hard yards on the brutally competitive Delhi circuit. Sehwag grew up in Najafgarh, the badland on the outskirts of Delhi. On a cricket field, he has seen, and heard, it all. So when Sehwag says he was shocked by the behaviour of his Delhi and India mates, it is a red-flag for the BCCI.
Advertisement
Sehwag is now a father of a budding cricketer. Aaryavir was in the Delhi U-16 team. He would have seen Gambhir bat with his father, he would have dreamt to have a Kohli-like career. Sehwag was worried about the impact of the ugly optics on youngsters.
My own kids can lip-read and they very well understand Ben Stokes (The most uttered Hindi abusive on field rhymes with the names of the English cricketer). So that is when I feel bad. If youre saying such things, if my kids can read it, others can too and tomorrow they will think that if they (Kohli and Gambhir) can say it, so can I, he said on Cricbuzz.
Once upon a time..
Kohli and Gambhir should have known better, they should have settled their grudges in a more dignified way. The two go back a long way. In 2006, when Kohli played his first game for Delhi, Gambhir was his senior. As is the Delhi dressing room custom, Gambhir was bhaiya to Kohli. At Kotla, juniors usually are given nicknames that would caricature their appearance. All thanks to his chubby cheeks, Kohli was called Cheeku, the comic book bunny popular with kids in that era.
Advertisement
Virat Kohliand Gautam Gambhirwere involved in an on-filed spat. (Screengrab)
Two years later Gautam Bhaiya and Cheeku would be Indias openers, they would go on to be in the World Cup winning team of 2011. Subsequently, with age catching up and reflexes slowing, Gambhirs career would taper. This was the time during the Dhoni era, when seniors were being treated as burden and juniors were pressing their claim to replace them. Gambhir, the one-time captaincy candidate, would have a tepid end to his international career.
On the other hand, Cheekus stakes would skyrocket. He would scale new heights, break barriers, smash records. From the obvious heir apparent, he would be Indian crickets highly successful most powerful captain till the time he quit captaincy in 2021.
Meanwhile, Gambhir would win two titles with KKR, a feat that Kohli hasnt achieved till date. He would enter politics, be
BJP
s candidate from East Delhi, get into parliament with a landslide win that had a margin of around 7,00,000 votes. Gambhirs batting numbers are no comparison to Kohlis but the fans value his body of work, remembering his two game-changing knocks in the two World Cups India has won this century. Kohlis performance in crucial do-or-die ICC games isnt too flattering.
Away from the field they are contrasting characters. Kohli can talk, shake a leg and hobnob with Bollywood. He is a marketing mans dream, a complete package, invaluable to global brands. He is also the life of a dressing room, who fools around team mates. Gambhir is a natural leader, not averse to expressing contrarian views, is articulate and tactically sharp. But is more serious, reserved and despite KKR owners repeated attempts to teach his captain and mentor to dance he doesnt quite hit the floor.
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir after the match. (Twitter/LucknowIPL)
Kohli, of late, has spoken about being calm and composed and turning a new leaf. Clearly, he is a work in progress. Gambhirs stint as a politician hasnt made him understand the nuance of parliamentary behaviour. Jealousy and one-upmanship are seen as the reason for the two repeatedly locking horns in public over the last 10 years. Thats just a wild guess, an uneducated easy inference of those who arent insiders. The answer could be hidden in the reaction of the authorities, public and those who are close to them.
Inadequate censure
Advertisement
So how did the world react to the imbecile behaviour of the countrys sporting icons?
BCCI docked 100 per cent of their match fee, the rationale being that financial loss could deter them from repeating their shameful act. For the deep-pocketed cricketers, this is merely a friendly tap on their knuckles. It is also likely that it will be the franchise who will end up paying the fine.
Advertisement
The fans too werent too outraged. Since that night of shame, the new-age opinion makers the comics and content creators have been cheering for more, reducing the outlandish act to a joke. Reality TV and OTT platforms have mainstreamed rancour.
Saturday, May 6, 2023 at 3:00 am