Gautam Gambhir branded ‘hypocrite’ as Ex-India star blasts head coach, ‘There is an environment and PR…’

Among the fallout of India’s rather forgettable run in the 2024/25 season has been questions over Gautam Gambhir’s future as India’s head coach. Gambhir’s former India and Kolkata Knight Riders teammate Manoj Tiwary has now gone on a tirade against him, claiming that the 43-year-old cannot work together with captain Rohit Sharma.

Tiwary questioned why veteran all-rounder Jalaj Saxena has never got a chance to play for the Indian Test team despite his strong record in 145 first class matches. “Gautam Gambhir is a hypocrite. He doesn’t do what he says. The captain (Rohit) is from Mumbai, Abhishek Nayar is from Mumbai. Rohit has been pushed to the forefront. There is no one to speak for Jalaj Saxena. He performs well but keeps quiet,” Tiwary told News18 Bangla.

“How will they work together? Rohit is a World Cup-winning captain while Gambhir led KKR to IPL titles both as a captain and mentor. Gambhir didn’t guide KKR to the title single-handedly as we all performed as a unit. Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine and I, all contributed to the cause. But who took the credit? There is an environment and PR that allows him to take all the credit,” he said.

‘What is the use of the bowling coach?’

Tiwary also questioned if those who work under Gambhir, assistant coach Nayar and bowling coach Morne Morkel, will ever go against his instructions. “What is the use of a bowling coach? Whatever the coach says, he will agree. Morne Morkel came from Lucknow Super Giants. Abhishek Nayar was at Kolkata Knight Riders with Gambhir and the Indian head coach knows that he will not go against his instructions,” he added.

India lost an ODI series against Sri Lanka for the first time since 1997, were whitewashed by New Zealand for the first time in a Test series at home and then ended their 10-year hold on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The latter two results ended in them not qualifying for the final of the World Test Championship for the first time ever.