Former Team India coach Ravi Shastri is relieved to see Naveen-ul-Haq and Virat Kohli bury the hatchet with a warm embrace during the 2023 World Cup clash on Wednesday (October 11) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Shastri feels the pair embracing and the moment erupting on the giant screen repeatedly was wholesome.
During the IPL 2023 clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants in May, Kohli and Naveen got into a tangle, indulging in a heated altercation. While Naveen copped a 50 per cent fine of his match fees, Kohli was fined 100 per cent, but the pair held no ill-feelings in their latest interaction.
Speaking to Star Sports, Shastri underlined that conflicts are part and parcel of the game. However, he also stressed on the need to let things go with time and was glad to see the two players move on.
“It is part and parcel of sports. Let bygones be bygones, and you got to move on with time. Time is a great healer. Sport teaches you to embrace a lot of things that may not go your way.
“It was great to see that and great to see it coming on the giant screen time and time again for the public to take notice of the fact that it is sportsmanship at the end of the day.”
During the game, Kohli was also seen gesturing to the crowd to not mock the Afghanistan pacer. Due to his altercation with the Indian batting great, the crowd had left no stone unturned in reminding the 24-year-old of his earlier spat with Kohli.
“In the heat of the moment, they might have lost their cool” – Ravi Shastri
Shastri believes the duo might have realised their mistake from five months ago and lauded their efforts to put it behind them now:
“In the heat of the moment, they might have lost their cool, words might have been exchanged, and other people might have got into the mix that happens in sports.
“But to see what happened today was very good. Six months down the line, they both realised that it could have been done in another way. Let’s not take things to heart. If scores can be settled on the field for everyone to see, nothing like it.”
Coming to the game, Afghanistan suffered their second straight defeat at the 2023 World Cup in as many games as India romped home by eight wickets, chasing down 273 in only 35 overs.
