Virat Kohli revives memories of Gautam Gambhir’s explosive elbow incident with Shane Watson

India National Cricket Team batter Virat Kohli opened up about the current Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir's elbow incident with Shane Watson during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008. The premier batter said that he wouldn't ask about the details of the incident because he knew why it happened.

Both Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir have been two of the fiercest players to have played for the India National Cricket Team. They both hail from Delhi and don't shy away from giving it to the opposition players, making sure they give their best for the country.

Gambhir, in particular, was involved in many heated altercations with the opposition players, and one such incident came during the Test series against the Australia National Cricket Team. The current India head coach was involved in a fight with the all-rounder Shane Watson.

Gambhir got banned for one Test match after he stuck an elbow into Shane Watson’s chest during the third game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008 in Delhi. The incident took place when the Indian batter tried to take the second run quickly after playing the shot.

But Gautam Gambhir's act was the action to reaction as first it was Shane Watson, who was seen shoving a clenched fist towards Gambhir during the first run. But after that both the players were penalised by the ICC. While an Indian player was charged with a level 2 offense, the Australian player was fined 10 percent of his match fees.

Virat Kohli asked Gautam Gambhir about the incident, saying that he wouldn't ask about it because he understands why that happened. Speaking during the interaction conducted by the BCCI, he asked:

“I won't talk about the elbow because I can understand why the elbow would have happened.”

A lot of people say that I elbowed him, but I didn’t do that purposely - Gautam Gambhir on his elbow incident

In 2020, Gautam Gambhir opened up about the incident that happened with Shane Watson. He said that he didn't go that intentionally and revealed how the head coach, Gary Kirsten, urged him to accept his mistake in front of match referee Chris Broad, who banned him for one game. Speaking to Star Sports, he had said:

“Shane Watson! And the reason is I didn’t do that intentionally. I got banned after that game. A lot of people say that I elbowed him, but I didn’t do that purposely.”

“When I was going for the hearing to the match, Gary Kirsten told me to accept it as it is Chris Broad. He will give you extra sympathy and he is not going to ban you. I went inside with Gary Kirsten and he asked if you accept your mistake. I said ‘Yes’ and he said you are banned.”

Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the head coach of the India National Cricket Team after the T20 World Cup 2024. He began his assignment in the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, where India won the T20I series and lost the ODI series.

Gambhir's first assignment in the red-ball will begin Tomorrow (19th September). India will be locking horns with Bangladesh in the two-match Test series. The first match is all set to take place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.