Virat Kohli – Sourav Ganguly 'no-handshake' sagaIf I don't want to talk, I'll just go past, opines Ravi Shastri

By India Today Sports DeskA controversy erupted after the IPL 2023 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) as Virat Kohli and DC’s director of cricket Sourav Ganguly did not greet each other and walked off straightaway.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri was presented a similar situation without taking any names and asked how he would react. The 1983 World Cup winner gave a blunt response days after DC assistant coach Shane Watson called the instance between Kohli and Ganguly “rumour mongering”.

“Depends on what my relationship is. If I don’t want to talk, I’ll just go past. But at the end of it, when you go and sit down, you feel that there’s always some room to grow up, no matter how old you are,” Shastri told ESPNcricinfo.

After the ‘no-handshake’ saga, Kohli unfollowed Ganguly on social media and the former BCCI President Ganguly did not waste much time on returning the favour.

The rift between Kohli and Ganguly started when Kohli was sacked as ODI captain while Ganguly was the BCCI President. Kohli, who stepped down as T20I captain, later gave up the Test captaincy following India’s defeat during the 2021 tour of South Africa.

Shane Watson, while speaking on Grade Cricket’s YouTube channel, said“It could be rumour 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.”

Virat Kohli has been in brilliant form, giving excellent starts to Royal Challengers Bangalore along with captain Faf du Plessis. RCB are sixth in the IPL 2023 standings, with six points from as many matches. RCB will take on Rajasthan Royals on April 23 in Bengaluru.