The 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season has been fun-filled and one of excitement with some matches going on to end in thrillers. However, outside cricket, there have also been some moments of madness involving some of the biggest names in the world of cricket.
Most of these fights have made the headlines, with India's batting stalwart Virat Kohli making it to the top of the list with his tussles this season. Here, we take a closer look at these fights and how they panned out across the last 52 matches that have been played in IPL 2023.
Virat Kohli vs Sourav Ganguly (DC vs RCB, April 15)
During the match between the Delhi Capitals (DC) and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Bengaluru on April 15, there was a moment which caught everyone's eye. It was when Kohli and DC’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly avoided each other during the customary handshakes.
In a video that went viral, Kohli was talking to DC head coach Ricky Ponting, Ganguly went on to skip the line and decided to shake hands with the other RCB players. This made the news as back in 2021, Kohli claimed that he was not communicated by Ganguly over his removal as India's ODI captain.
However, things changed in the reverse fixture, when the two put the controversy between the two shook hands after their IPL 2023 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on May 6.
Virat Kohli vs Naveen-ul-Haq (LSG vs RCB, May 1)
This has to be one of the biggest fights in the history of the tournament. It started when the tension between Kohli and LSG batter Naveen-ul-Haq kept increasing. Amit Mishra, who was the LSG batter at the other end, tried to calm Kohli down but the RCB team leader was having none of it. Kohli and Naveen-il-Haq then exchanged a death stare which was caught on camera.
It did not end there, as, after the game, Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq exchanged a very cold handshake which saw the pulling of hands as well as a slight shove by the Afghanistan bowler on Kohli. The two players then got involved in a heated argument during the handshake before being separated by Glenn Maxwell.
Virat Kohli vs Gautam Gambhir (LSG vs RCB, May 1)
In the same match that saw the mega fight between Kohli and Naveen, the bigger fight turned out to be between two former foes in Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir, who is the mentor for LSG, was involved in a verbal fight with the former RCB skipper, after the conclusion of the match.
It happened after Gambhir was not pleased with some comments made by Kohli when he separated from Kyle Mayers, and then proceeded to confront his former India teammate. In the background, Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq exchanged a few words once again before an angry Gambhir walked towards the former RCB skipper despite KL Rahul and other players trying to diffuse the tension.
In what appeared from the video, Kohli tried to explain Gambhir the whole incident but tension only grew between the two as players of both teams circled around. Amit Mishra jumped in between Kohli and Gambhir while Faf du Plessis pulled his opening partner away.
Mohammed Siraj vs David Warner/Phil Salt (DC vs RCB, May 6)
The incident took place in the second match between RCB and DC in the fifth over, when Mohammed Siraj did not like getting hit for sixes off consecutive deliveries by Phil Salt. He then got into a heated exchange with the Englishman, with the DC skipper David Warner also getting involved with the team.
However, while the video of the argument went viral on social media, the two players hugged each other after DC’s dominating batting display.
Nitish Rana vs Hrithik Shokeen (MI vs KKR)
In a match that saw Venkatesh Iyer smash a century, young spinner Hrithik Shokeen got the prized wicket of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper Nitish Rana. After that, the duo involved in a heated exchange which grabbed everyone's eyeballs. As Nitish Rana was walking towards the dressing room, Hrithik Shokeen was found saying something to him, to which the KKR captain gave a bitter retort. However, Suryakumar immediately came to the rescue and diffused the situation.
Both Nitish Rana and Hrithik Shokeen play for Delhi in Domestic Cricket and they have a history of such exchanges as it has been learnt that they don’t talk in the dressing room too. It all started in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Both weren’t talking while batting in Ranji too.
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