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Champions' Reunion! King Kohli And Gabbar Meet Ahead Of India's Match Vs Bangladesh

Soumyajit Dutta

Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan (Source: AP Photos)Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan (Source: AP Photos)

As India prepared for their Champions Trophy 2025 opener against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a special moment unfolded off the field. Former teammates Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan were seen catching up, sharing a warm handshake and smiles. 

The duo, who once formed a formidable opening pair in limited-overs cricket, reminisced about their past as they exchanged words before the high-stakes encounter. 

Kohli shares a laugh with Dhawan

Their camaraderie was evident, despite a history that saw a few heated exchanges, most notably during India's 2014 tour of Australia, when reports suggested a dressing room disagreement between the two. Nevertheless, the two cricketing maestros were seen sharing a laugh together and hugging each other in Dubai ahead of India's clash.

Dhawan's ODI career

While Gabbar hung up his boots back in 2024, Virat Kohli is still on with the bat, breaking records on the field. Notably, Dhawan has played 167 ODIs, scoring 6,793 runs in 164 innings at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 91.35. 

He has registered 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries, with a highest score of 143. Over his career, Dhawan was a strong presence as a top-order batter for India who played shoulder-to-shoulder with Kohli.

India starts strong against Bangladesh

Meanwhile, on the field, India made a strong start after Bangladesh opted to bat first. At the time of writing, Bangladesh is struggling at 22/2 at the end of 5 overs, with Mohammed Shami and Harshit Rana striking early. 

Shami dismissed Soumya Sarkar for a five-ball duck, while Rana sent Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto back for a two-ball nought, caught by Virat Kohli. 

Tanzid Hasan however, showed some counter-attacking grit with a couple of boundaries. However, with India’s bowlers on top, the Men in Blue are aiming to kick off their Champions Trophy campaign in style.