"Happy to see a photo of them smiling together" - Dinesh Karthik on Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq's feud coming to an end
Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq came into the spotlight following an ugly on-field spat during the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year.
Kohli and Naveen have seemingly moved on from that and have buried the hatchet. The two were seen exchanging handshakes and pleasantries during the 2023 World Cup match between India and Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday.
Karthik, who was Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) teammate, admitted that things got heated up between the former India captain and Naveen when they met in IPL 2023.
He expressed his delight at the feud finally coming to an end, suggesting that it isn't healthy to carry negative things for a long time. Speaking to Cricbuzz, he said (21:35):
"There was a little bit of tension in the IPL. But it is nice to see them make up and hug. When Naveen-ul-Haq came to bat, the crowd was cheering Kohli's name. They really wanted to get under his skin. But it was nice to see them making amends, and I think that's what world cricket needs."
"You don't want to carry on something that is negative in nature for far too long. It's been at the back of both their minds and it's good to see them brush it under the carpet. Just happy to see a photo of them smiling together," he added.
It is worth mentioning that during India's match against Afghanistan, Virat Kohli was also seen asking the Dehli crowd to stop mocking Naveen-ul-Haq.
"It's not that it might not happen again in the future" - Zaheer Khan on Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq's heated exchange
During the same discussion, former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan suggested that while Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq have sorted out their differences, the two could have a go against each other in the future.
He also mentioned that both Kohli and Naveen like to play with aggression and are fierce competitors on the field, explaining (22:28):
"When he (Virat) walked out to bat, that time it was like, 'No matter what happens, I am not going to give my wicket to this guy (Naveen)'. So, that is also important. He crossed that phase, and after that, he saw the opportunity to leave the bitter things in the past and move ahead. It's not that it might not happen again in the future. It still might happen because both are fierce competitors."
"The good thing is that whatever happened, they've kind of solidified that now are are looking ahead. The competition and fight should stay there but within the boundaries," he added.
Rohit Sharma starred with the bat in the encounter, scoring 131 off just 84 balls. Virat Kohli also continued his impressive form, remaining unbeaten on 55 as India completed a comfortable eight-wicket win.