Delhi Capitals assistant coach Shane Watson opened up about Virat Kohli and Sourav Ganguly’s stare-off during an IPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and DC. He said that he wasn’t sure what the matter is and added that he didn’t want to be get involved.
After RCB beat DC by 23 runs in Bengaluru, a controversy erupted when the players from both the dugout shook hands.
It was caught on camera that Virat Kohli and DC’s director of cricket Sourav Ganguly did not greet each other and didn’t shake hands, despite DC coach Ricky Ponting stopping him for a short conversation. The two cricketers walked away straightaway.
Seemingly the reported rift began when Kohli’s decision to step down as India’s captain in T20Is didn’t sit well with Sourav Ganguly, who was then BCCI president ,and Chetan Sharma, who was then the chief of the selection committee.
Kohli was later removed as ODI captain as well, and merely a month later, the batter also stepped down as the Test captain.
While Sourav Ganguly said that he and Chetan Sharma personally called Virat and asked him not to step down as captain; Kohli mentioned that he received no such call and the whole issue snowballed into a huge controversy.
It’s Not Something I Want To Get Involved In- Shane Watson
Now DC assistant coach Shane Watson was asked to clarify the situation between the two on ‘The Grade Cricketer’ podcast.
He said: “It could be rumor mongering, but I’m not sure. So, it’s not something I want to get involved in. But there was definitely some fire in Virat’s belly, that’s for sure. For an opposition point of view, that’s the last thing you need as well. Virat, when he’s like that, that’s when he’s at his absolute best. Whatever reason that was, I’m not exactly sure.”
Ganguly was succeeded by Roger Binny as BCCI President in October last year and the former India captain joined DC as their director of cricket ahead of IPL 2023.