RCB vs KKR IPL 2024: Gautam Gambhir deserves an Oscar for hugging Virat Kohli, says Sunil Gavaskar

RCB vs KKR IPL 2024: Some thought it would be Virat Kohli’s powerful 83* off 59 while some expected young Venkatesh Iyer (50 off 30) or veteran Sunil Narine (47 off 22) to steal the show. But, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) match found unlikely heroes.

Gautam Gambhir came and hugged Kohli, and Virat hugged him back. They smiled and apparently spoke gently to each other, something that fans have not seen for many years now. They are known for their fierce rivalries in the IPL.

Just a few hours before the match, Star Sports shared a video clip of Gambhir, the former KKR captain who now mentors the team, saying how badly he had always wanted to beat RCB.

“RCB hadn’t won anything. Still, they thought they won everything,” Gambhir was heard saying in the video while emphasising how he had always wanted to beat RCB’s “attitude”.

That set the tone for the match. Bengaluru and Kolkata have been known for their ferocious encounters. Moreover, Kohli and Gambhir are known for their rivalry. In IPL 2023, when Gambhir mentored Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he got into a fight with Kohli after the match. Things turned out quite ugly.

However, what happened between Gambhir and Kohli surprised many while disappointing those who expected another fight between the two. Many users on social media, while sharing the photo or the video of the incident, claimed that Gambhir had apologised to Kohli.

What Sunil Gavaskar said

After the incident, Ravi Shastri was discussing the Fair Play table this year. As KKR stood right at the bottom, the JioCinema commentator pointed out how Shah Rukh Khan’s team could climb up, especially after the hug between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir.

Sunil Gavaskar, known for his cheeky comments, said, “Not only a Fair Play award but also an Oscar”, apparently indicating that it was a “performance” by the KKR mentor.