'Tumhara masala khatam ho gaya' - Virat Kohli breaks silence on ending fight with Gautam Gambhir

It was a moment that warmed the hearts of cricket fans across India. Arch-rivals Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, who had been part of several heated on-field altercations over the years, shared a warm hug during an IPL match in March 2024. However, Kohli now says that the public is disappointed that the drama between the two Delhi stalwarts is over.

The incident occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru's clash with Kolkata Knight Riders, when Kohli and Gambhir, who is currently the mentor of KKR, shared a hug and were seen speaking to each other during a strategic timeout. This came just a year after the two had been involved in an ugly verbal spat following a match between RCB and Lucknow Super Giants in 2023. Speaking at a recent Asian Paints event, Kohli reflected on the moment with Gambhir.

“Ye naa log bahut disappointed ho gaye hai mere behavior se. Naveen (Ul Haq) ke saath maine jhappi daal di, uss din Gauti (Gautam Gambhir) bhai ne aake mere ko jhappi daal di, toh matlab tumhara masala khatam ho gaya toh ab. Abey bacche thodi naa hai yaar," he said. (People are disappointed with my behaviour. I hugged Naveen [ul-Haq] and Gauti bhai also hugged me that day. So they have lost their masala)

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Virat Kohli currently is the highest run-getter of the IPL 2024

Kohli had earlier mended things with Afghanistan pacer Naveen ul-Haq during the 2023 ODI World Cup, with the bowler revealing that it was the Indian batter who had initiated the conversation to resolve their differences.

While RCB has so far struggled to find form in this IPL season, Kohli has been in brilliant touch, scoring 316 runs so far to sit atop of the most runs standings. His unbeaten 83 against KKR was not enough to secure victory, but the moment with Gambhir proved to be a highlight of the match.

Also read: Virat Kohli's IPL Records and Stats against Mumbai Indians

RCB will next face off against Mumbai Indians on April 11, and all eyes will be on whether Kohli can continue his sublime form with the bat.