'Leave the Fight There Itself': Gambhir Impressed with Kohli's 'Great Gesture' for Naveen-ul-Haq - WATCH

Virat Kohli hugging Naveen-ul-Haq and sharing a laugh on Wednesday night was a sight to behold. Back in May 2023, the two cricketing stars got involved in a heated exchange during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match in Lucknow with people from both teams intervening to calm down things on the field. Meanwhile, social media also went berserk over the incident which led to an unending trolling and bashing.

But on Wednesday evening, the duo buried the hatchet and met each other like friends. The cricket fraternity lauded Virat Kohli for his heart-winning gestures, calling it a sign of a true gentleman.

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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who was also involved in the spat during IPL, also lauded Kohli’s act on the field. Speaking with sports presenter Jatin Sapru, the former said the cricketers should leave their fights on the field and should move on.

“Leave the fight there itself. Every player has the right to fight for his team, fight for respect, and fight to win. It doesn’t matter which country you belong to or how good of a player you are. There have been tussles in the past, but it’s important to leave the matter there itself and just move on,” Gambhir told Sapru.

The cricketer-turned-cricketer further lashed out at the crowd, asking them to behave more sensibly in future so that overseas players would have good memories to return with.

“Another thing to point out is the crowd’s behavior which should have been a bit more sensible. Nobody knew what actually happened in the field. Only two players from two teams and the management knew what the actual matter was.

“So, I hope they behave better in future. When foreign teams visit India, we should try and be a better host. It’s just that when they go back home, they must return with good memories irrespective of the team he is playing for,” Gambhir added.

During the India vs Afghanistan game in Delhi, Kohli was also seen asking the crowd to stop booing Naveen. Gambhir called it a ‘great gesture’.

“That’s a great gesture. And I hope the crowd continues to see such gestures of Virat in the forthcoming matches. A cricketer makes uncountable sacrifices to play at a certain level, be it for the country or franchise. People in the outside world haven’t experienced what unfolds on the field. So, if you can’t support someone then please don’t criticize as well.

“You do support your favourite players but at the same time, be a good ambassador to your country,” he concluded.