Did Indore crowd chant 'Gautam Gambhir haye haye'? Fact check on Virat Kohli reaction

Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli (Image credit: Agencies)

NEW DELHI: A video claiming that the Indore crowd shouted “Gautam Gambhir haaye haaye” after the third ODI against New Zealand has gone viral on social media, but the claim is misleading. The clip shows Virat Kohli reacting during the post-match presentation at the Holkar Stadium, and many users linked his reaction to alleged chants against head coach Gautam Gambhir. After India lost the match and the series 2-1, the video was widely shared on X and Instagram.

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Some fans said the chants showed anger towards the team management after recent home series losses, while others read different meanings into Kohli’s body language. However, a fact check suggests the crowd did not target Gambhir in Indore. Journalists and media personnel present at the stadium have said they did not hear any such chants during the ceremony. While the video visuals are real and were shot in Indore, the audio does not appear to be genuine. The sound in the clip seems to be taken from an older incident in Guwahati, where similar chants were heard during a Test match last year. The same audio pattern matches that earlier event, indicating the video was edited. This is important because misleading videos can create unnecessary controversy, especially when the team is already under pressure. Based on available information, the viral clip should not be seen as proof that the Indore crowd shouted slogans against Gautam Gambhir. With the 2-1 result, the Black Caps won an ODI series in India for the first time in 37 years, following their 3-0 Test series whitewash against India last year. India, however, have little time to dwell on the setback. The focus shifts to the shortest format, with a five-match T20I series against New Zealand starting Wednesday as part of the final build-up to the T20 World Cup. With less than three weeks remaining, the series serves as a vital dress rehearsal. The spotlight will be on captain Suryakumar Yadav. Since taking over as India’s T20I skipper in 2024, he has led the side to a winning percentage above 72, even as his batting form has remained under scrutiny. Playing at home, with expectations of defending the T20 World Cup title again.WATCH:IND vs NZ T20I Full Schedule: 1st T20I: Jan 21 in Nagpur from 7 PM IST 2nd T20I: Jan 23 in Raipur from 7 PM IST 3rd T20I: Jan 25 in Guwahati from 7 PM IST 4th T20I: Jan 28 in Visakhapatnam from 7 PM IST 5th T20I: Jan 31 in Thiruvanthapuram from 7 PM ISTIND vs NZ T20I Squads:India: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, , Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Rinku Singh, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana. New Zealand: Mitchell Santner (captain), Devon Conway, Bevon Jacobs, , Glenn Phillips, Tim Robinson, Jimmy Neesham, Ish Sodi, Zak Foulkes, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Rachin Ravindra, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Kristian Clarke

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