Former India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) batter Manoj Tiwary has launched a scathing attack on current India head coach Gautam Gambhir. In a series of pointed remarks, Tiwary criticized Gambhir’s handling of team selections and accused him of hypocrisy, claiming that Gambhir doesn’t practice what he preaches.
Tiwary and Gambhir have shared dressing rooms in the past, both for Delhi in domestic cricket and KKR in the IPL. However, their camaraderie appears to have soured, with Tiwary openly questioning Gambhir’s decisions during India’s recent Test series against Australia and New Zealand.
Tiwary Questions Gambhir’s Team Selections
The criticism began with Tiwary’s frustration over Akash Deep’s exclusion from the playing XI during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He argued that Harshit Rana’s selection over Akash Deep was unfair, citing Akash’s superior first-class record.
“Why wouldn’t Nitish Rana and Harshit Rana support Gautam Gambhir? Harshit played in Perth instead of Akash Deep. What did Akash Deep do wrong? He bowled fantastic spells against Bangladesh and New Zealand. As a fast bowler, you dream of bowling in friendly conditions, but he was dropped for Harshit, who lacks first-class experience. That’s biased selection,” Tiwary told Hindustan Times.
Tiwary also accused Gambhir of favouring certain players, suggesting that this bias is why some cricketers have come out in defence of the head coach.
Family Abuse and Sourav Ganguly Remarks Resurface
Taking the criticism further, Tiwary recalled an ugly altercation with Gambhir during a Ranji Trophy match. He claimed that Gambhir abused his family and made derogatory remarks about former India captain Sourav Ganguly.
“When he fought with me during a Ranji Trophy match in Delhi, everyone heard what he said. Whether it was about Sourav Ganguly or my family, Gautam crossed the line. He was protected by certain individuals, and that’s the PR I’m talking about,” Tiwary added.
The former batter believes that such incidents highlight Gambhir’s flawed leadership style and accused him of being protected by public relations tactics.
Criticism of Padikkal’s Inclusion
Tiwary didn’t stop at the fast bowlers. He also questioned Devdutt Padikkal’s surprise inclusion in the Test squad, especially when seasoned players like Abhimanyu Easwaran were overlooked.
“How did Devdutt Padikkal make the Test squad? He was out of the equation. Abhimanyu Easwaran has been scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket. Why wasn’t he picked to play at No. 3?” Tiwary questioned.
Tiwary Defends His Statements
Tiwary stood his ground, dismissing claims that his remarks were driven by a personal grudge against Gambhir. He made it clear that he was simply stating facts and accused certain groups of using PR strategies to shield Gambhir from criticism.
“I’ve said nothing wrong. This is PR. When someone speaks facts, people defend the individual without knowing the full story. I only speak on facts,” Tiwary said.
So far, Gautam Gambhir hasn’t made any public statements in response to Tiwary’s remarks. But the controversy has certainly stirred up conversations in cricket circles.
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