Netflix’s The Great Indian Kapil Show served up a cricket special in its latest episode and it was Gautam Gambhir who stole the show. Known for his no-nonsense attitude on and off the field, Gambhir surprised viewers by showing his witty side.
The episode, which also featured Rishabh Pant, Yuzvendra Chahal and Abhishek Sharma, was a reminder that cricketers are not always as serious as they seem on the pitch. Gambhir matched Kapil punchline for punchline, even throwing in some playful digs of his own.
When Rishabh Pant was asked to name the team’s ‘Jethani’ — the one who orders everyone around — promptly named Rohit Sharma. “Rohit bhai is like that. Rohit bhai comes on strong,” he said, drawing laughter from Gambhir, who added, “Ab toh retire ho gaya. Yeah, take his name now that he has retired.”
Meanwhile, Pant brought his usual mischief to the show, though he quickly realised that taking on Kapil Sharma in a battle of wits is no easy feat. In one of the episode’s standout moments, Pant cheekily asked Kapil, “What do you do when someone funnier than you is around?” Kapil, without missing a beat, replied, “Main usse cut kar deta hoon”. The retort sent the studio audience into fits of laughter.
Pant also touched upon a more serious chapter of his life: his near-fatal car accident. He opened up about the physical toll of his recovery. “Accident jab hua tha na... toh itni saare dawayaan andar chali gayi thi. Toh andar se na system, kuch khaya he nahi jaata tha, kuch feel he nahi hota tha. Toh 2-3 mahine sirf khichdi hi khayi hai.. Thoda simplified rakha jitna hosake,” he said.
Navjot Singh Sidhu, back on the show this season, alongside Archana Puran Singh, quipped, “Oh man! But now you're making all of them eat that Khichdi! Right?” bringing the conversation back to the show’s trademark humour.
Yuzvendra Chahal and Abhishek Sharma added their share of laughs. Chahal, never shy of self-deprecating humour, said, “Catch kisi se bhi drop ho sakti hai, easy bhi drop ho sakta hai... lekin jab sixer lagta hai toh camera aapke upar hi hota hai!” Abhishek, in a lighter vein, spoke about taking up journaling, crediting Shikhar Dhawan for the idea, before teasing Chahal, “He dropped one of my catches — really helped me out!”
Sidhu, true to form, delivered his signature one-liners, likening Chahal to a “chota teer” and slipping in jokes about changing girlfriends instead of teams. Kapil couldn’t resist teasing Sidhu in return, saying he was lucky Instagram wasn’t around during his playing days. Kiku Sharda and Pant joined in the fun, pulling Chahal’s leg over a lipstick mark on his shirt.
Chahal cheekily confessed about his current relationship status, “India jaan chuka hai… 4 mahine pehle.”
