‘He doesn’t have any malice’ – Anil Chaudhary recalls stepping in during Virat Kohli-Gautam Gambhir IPL 2013 clash

The 2013 Indian Premier League witnessed a fiery exchange between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir during a match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. The incident unfolded after Kohli was dismissed and was making his way back to the pavilion when he became involved in a heated verbal altercation with Gambhir, who was captaining KKR at the time.

Anil Chaudhary, the former umpire who officiated matches during that era, recently recalled the incident and offered insight into Kohli’s temperament and competitive nature. Chaudhary’s long association with Kohli gave him a unique perspective on the batter’s playing style and behaviour on the field.

“Actually, my advantage with Virat was that I had officiated his matches since childhood, so I have known him for a long time. He doesn’t have any malice. He reacts aggressively sometimes, but if you’re right, he’ll give you a thumbs up too.” Chaudhary said on JioStar show.

“Between overs, he’ll come over and put a hand around your waist. But he is lively throughout. Players like him should be there, otherwise, the game will get boring.” he added.

Rajat Bhatia, who was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders setup during that period, played a key role in defusing the situation by stepping in to separate the two players and prevent the altercation from escalating further. The intervention helped bring the exchange to an end.

Understanding aggression in cricket

Defending the aggressive nature of cricketers, the former umpire said that such intensity is often essential for players to perform at their best. He explained that aggression is a natural part of the game and helps bring out the best in many players. However, he also stressed that there must always be a line that should not be crossed, with passion never turning into unacceptable behaviour on the field.

“I knew something like that would happen because all of them from the North play with aggression. I have played local cricket too, and our players have always played like this. If they don’t play with that aggression, their performances won’t come out as well. The flavour of the game won’t be there if you put too many restrictions on the players. But there’s a limit, and it shouldn’t be crossed.” Chaudhary said.