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'Maine Do Logon Ki Fight Rukwayi Thi...': Rajat Bhatia Recalls Kohli-Gambhir IPL Face-Off

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Gautam Gambhir & Virat Kohli clashed in IPL 2013 [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com]Gautam Gambhir & Virat Kohli clashed in IPL 2013 [Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com]

Cricket has seen its share of heated moments but few have stuck in fans' memories like the infamous 2013 IPL clash between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. It was a showdown that had nothing to do with bat and ball yet it grabbed more headlines than the actual match.

Amidst the chaos, one man stepped up to calm the storm: Rajat Bhatia. And years later, he still gets more recognition for breaking up the fight than for his own cricketing career.

The Kohli-Gambhir Fight

It was just another high-octane IPL game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB captained by a young and aggressive Kohli was taking on KKR captained by the ever-intense Gautam Gambhir. But as the match unfolded, tempers flared. What started as on-field aggression quickly escalated into a full-blown face-off between the two Delhi boys, who once played Ranji Trophy cricket together.

After an RCB batter got out, Kohli and Gambhir locked horns in a heated exchange. Words were exchanged, emotions ran high and the crowd couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. Two of India’s biggest stars were at each other’s throats and things could have turned ugly had it not been for a certain Rajat Bhatia.

Just when things looked like they were about to explode, Rajat Bhatia jumped in as the unlikely peacemaker. He got between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, calming things down before it could turn into something more than just words. Thanks to him, the match went on without any more drama. But little did he know, that one moment would end up being what most fans remember him for.


Rajat Bhatia’s Honest Confession On Kohli-Gambhir Incident

Fast forward to today, and even Bhatia himself knows it. While commentating in the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Railways, he couldn’t help but joke about it, dropping a line that was both funny and brutally honest.

"Mujhe sab log iss liye jaante hain ki maine do logon ki fight rukwayi thi, mere cricket ke wajah se nahi" (People know me just because I stopped a famous fight between two people, not for my cricketing achievements).

Bhatia also pointed out how things have changed. The two men he once had to separate are now in very different roles – one is still playing, trying to find his form in domestic cricket, and the other is the coach of the Indian team.

It is worth mentioing that through the years, both Kohli and Gambhir have had their share of ups and downs. Kohli is still the mainstay of Indian cricket and is currently grinding it out in the Ranji Trophy to regain his lost form. Gambhir, on the other hand, has transitioned from player to mentor and is now donning the coach’s hat for Team India.

While their 2013 clash remains one of the most talked-about IPL moments, time has mellowed both players. The old fire is still there but perhaps with more wisdom now. As for Rajat Bhatia, he may have played years of domestic cricket, but his biggest claim to fame remains the day he turned referee between two of India’s biggest cricketing icons.