'He just looks at Kolkata dug-out, Virat going to get fired up': Gambhir vs Kohli battle in IPL 2024

In a highly anticipated clash, Royal Challengers Bangalore will face off against Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2024. With star players like Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Faf du Plessis leading RCB, and Shreyas Iyer, Andre Russell, and Mitchell Starc showcasing their talents for KKR, this match promises thrilling action. As both teams battle for supremacy at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, cricket fans can expect an intense T20 showdown between these power-packed squads.

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Varun Aaron anticipates Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir during RCB vs KKR

When Virat Kohli sees Kolkata's dugout during Bengaluru vs. Kolkata at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the forthcoming Indian Premier League 2024 season, Aaron believes that he will be filled with drive. This much-awaited meeting will put Kohli in direct contact with Gautam Gambhir, who was recently hired as Kolkata's mentor and with whom he has previously had tense interactions on the pitch.

The former fast-bowler for Bengaluru and India, Varun Aaron, expressed his excitement for the match off-field, pointing out that the sight of Kolkata's dugout may energise Kohli. During Bengaluru's league-stage match versus Lucknow in the 2023 Indian Premier League, there was an unpleasant on-field confrontation that made it clear that Kohli and Gambhir were not friends. Speaking on StarSports, Varun Aaron said:

“I don’t want to stir anything but I'm looking forward to the match-up outside the boundary line. Gautam Gambhir is going to be there right beside the Bengaluru dug-out, I don’t know what's going to happen there. We know Virat likes to have fire in his belly and if he just looks at the Kolkata dug-out, he’s going to get fired up,” 

Beyond the most recent incident in 2023, Kohli and Gambhir have a history of altercations in the cricket arena. Back in 2013, when Gambhir was captain of Kolkata and Kohli was captain of Bengaluru, the two got into a furious disagreement that turned physical before teammates stepped in to break them up.

In 2023, their rivalry was rekindled when Kohli and Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq, who was playing for Lucknow, collided on the pitch. After the game, Gambhir stood up to defend his team and even went over to Virat Kohli, only to be stopped by the Lucknow players.

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In defence of his conduct, Gambhir emphasised that those with a strong social media following shouldn't dominate others on the pitch and reaffirmed his commitment to standing up for his players. Gautam Gambhir was quoted last year: 

“It is not about Naveen-ul-Haq. I would have defended any player, that is my job, that is how I am. Why should I not defend my players just because someone has a broadcaster working for him, left right and centre, someone who has more social media presence doesn't have any right to walk over someone,”