Kamran Akmal surprises fans, calls Gautam Gambhir his 'brother' despite past rivalry

Former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal has recently opened up about his relationships with the legendary captain MS Dhoni and current Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Kamran Akmal and Gautam Gambhir were involved in a couple of fiery exchanges on the field during their playing days, but still, the former Pakistani cricketer claimed to share a great friendship with the former Indian opener.

Kamran Akmal reveals close bond with Gautam Gambhir despite fiery on-field rivalry

There was a fierce on-field rivalry between Gambhir and Akmal, and one of the most memorable moments of tension between them occurred during the 2010 Asia Cup. Emotions ran high as Akmal and Gambhir had a heated exchange, and it took the intervention of the umpires to separate them.

Despite their infamous on-field battles during their playing days, Kamran Akmal surprised one and all by claiming to share strong camaraderie with Gautam Gambhir. Even the former Pakistan player has described Gambhir as his close friend, saying he is like a brother to him.

Speaking about his experiences with the legendary Dhoni, Akmal praised the former Indian captain's calm demeanor and match-winning abilities. He reflected on the many conversations they shared about wicketkeeping and batting, highlighting Dhoni's unique mentality and how those interactions were often enriching.

Gautam Gambhir is like my brother: Kamran Akmal

Kamran Akmal was quoted as saying by Cricblog: “No doubt MS Dhoni is someone with a different mentality altogether, an absolute match-winner, and he’s super calm. The way he played was fantastic, and he had a fantastic career. We used to talk a lot about wicketkeeping; we used to talk a lot about batting, and yeah, it was often good to talk to Dhoni.”

He added, “We share a good bond and are good friends. Even with Gautam Gambhir too. I mean, me and Gautam are good friends too. I share a good relationship with him. He’s like my brother.”

Notably, Gambhir had earlier described Kamran as one of the most talkative wicketkeepers on the field, always engaging in constant chatter behind the stumps. Gambhir himself was known for his aggressive demeanor and had his own share of fiery moments, including an infamous physical altercation with Pakistan’s legendary all-rounder Shahid Afridi in 2007.

Gautam Gambhir gearing up for Bangladesh T20Is

However, the current Indian coach Gautam Gambhir played many memorable knocks against Pakistan, but his batting show in the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup was an incredible one. The left-handed batter had played a crucial knock of 75 runs off 54 balls, which was the highest innings in the match.

Gambhir’s brilliant fifty helped India post a competitive total of 157/5, eventually leading them to a narrow five-run victory over Pakistan, securing the T20 World Cup title in South Africa. Gambhir, the awardee of the Padma Shri, India's second-highest civilian honor, is currently on national duty.

He is currently gearing up for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh after whitewashing the tourists in the two-match Test series at home. India will face Bangladesh in the first T20I on Sunday in Guwahati.