Rajat Bhatia opens up about the ugly on-field spat between Kohli and Gambhir in IPL 2013

Bhatia was the man who separated the clashing RCB and KKR skippers.

The on-field altercation between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir has made more headlines than their match-winning knocks. Fans still remember how the two Delhiites were involved in an ugly spat back in the year 2013 during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match.

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However, what triggered that brawl is still unknown. Both Gambhir and Kohli had played down the incident on numerous occasions but the man who separated the clashing duo recently opened up on the same.

Rajat Bhatia, who got in between them and tried to calm things down, spoke to Asianet Newsable and said it was nothing more than two very competitive players acting in the heat of the moment.

“That is something which happened when two aggressive captains played and they always want to give their best and win for their respective teams. Even if they had any kind of collision in that match, it was just a part of the game,” the 40-year-old Bhatia, who played for KKR in that game against RCB, stated.

“Later, I have never seen them (Gambhir and Kohli) fighting. In the heat of the moment, so many things happen. But, it shouldn’t be happening for the worse. And on that day, it was not,” he added.

Coming to that match, RCB had defeated KKR by eight wickets. Chasing 155 to win, Bangalore rode on Chris Gayle’s 50-ball 85 to overhaul the target with 15 balls to spare.

Kohli scored 35 in that game and it was after his dismissal in the 10th over, caught by Eoin Morgan off L Balaji, that led to the ugly spat as KKR players celebrated.