On 1st May 2023, Lucknow Super Giants faced Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first reverse fixture of the tournament. In the low-scoring game, LSG failed to chase 127 runs and lost the match by 18 runs. However, the heated argument between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli was the highlight of the game which left fans split.
Gautam Gambhir has a history with several Indian cricketers, including Virat Kohli. MS Dhoni is also on the list. Over the years, Gambhir has frequently traded barbs with India’s most successful captain, whether about the 2011 World Cup final or during their IPL battles, particularly when they were pitted against each other as rival captains – the IPL 2012 final is a prime example. Meanwhile, former India allrounder Irfan Pathan who has shared a dressing room with both Gambhir and Dhoni revealed how Gambhir troubled Dhoni tactically.
Speaking with a broadcaster, Irfan said, “Gautam Gambhir played with the ego of MS Dhoni when he was the captain of KKR. He was the only one who succeeded in rattling him for years,” Pathan, who was teammates with Dhoni at Pune, said while doing commentary on Hindi. Referring to Gambhir’s strategy, he added: “MS was rattled to the core by the field settings.”
Gautam Gambhir put up extreme pressure on MS Dhoni the batter
It was Kolkata Knight Riders’encounter against Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016 when Gambhir put up a Test match fielding to trouble Dhoni. In a 2016 encounter between KKR and RPS, Dhoni came to bat with his team down at 74/4 and Chawla on fire. Gambhir took advantage of the situation and surrounded Dhoni with fielders. He inserted Shakib Al Hasan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Yusuf Pathan in close-in positions, denying Dhoni any breathing space. Dhoni has become more vulnerable to spin over the years, and Gambhir was aware of it. Dhoni appeared quite vulnerable when attempting to defend or block.
Notably, currently, both Dhoni and Gambhir are working for cricket in different natures. Dhoni who is still playing as a player and skipper for Chennai Super Kings has retired from international cricket. Meanwhile, Gambhir after retirement from international cricket has become a member of parliament from Delhi. He is also working with LSG as a mentor and a broadcaster.
