During the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) game at Eden Gardens on Sunday, after Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir, the mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders and a former batsman for India, was seen arguing with the umpires. In a video that went viral on social media, Gambhir and KKR coach Chandrakant Pandit could be seen pleading with the fourth umpire in an animated avatar before giving up in the end.
During his playing career, the 42-year-old has been involved in several on-field altercations, including well-known ones involving Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Virat Kohli.
Gautam Gambhir's Alleged Gesture Sparks Debate During High-Stakes RCBvsKKR Encounter#RCBvsKKR #GautamGambhir #IPL2024 #PowerCorridors pic.twitter.com/m2ORnH06hw
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) April 22, 2024
Shreyas Iyer and Gautam Gambhir Clash Over Umpiring Decision
The incident happened during a tense phase of the game when RCB was in danger of chasing down the intimidating 223 total, needing 31 runs from their final 12 deliveries. Shreyas Iyer, the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, was seen on social media pointing to his dugout while wearing a frustrated expression. Shortly after, Gautam Gambhir is seen approaching the fourth umpire and pointing to his legs in an attempt to persuade him of something.
The umpire and Gambhir appear to be at odds over the decision to keep Rahmanullah Gurbaz in the game instead of letting Sunil Narine leave the field. The veteran West Indian spinner was forced to return to the field for the last two overs of the innings, though, as the umpire stood by his call.
Virat Kohli Sparks Umpiring Controversy with Fiery Dispute
Before Gambhir’s altercation, Virat Kohli, the opening batsman for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, got into a furious dispute with the umpires after being dismissed on a full toss. It was later discovered that Kohli was standing outside his crease, despite the veteran batsman’s protests that it was a no-ball and his review of the ruling. In addition, if he had been behind the crease, the ball would have been below his waist at the moment of impact instead of above it. After the match, the former captain of the Royal Bengal Tigers was observed arguing with the umpires and even attempted to reason with them.
