Manoj Tiwary has openly criticized Gautam Gambhir’s coaching methods following lackluster showings against Australia and New Zealand, labeling him a ‘hypocrite.’ Tiwary has raised doubts about Gambhir’s choices in players, specifically pointing to Akash Deep and Harshit Rana.
New Delhi: Manoj Tiwary, a former Indian cricketer, has stirred the pot with his bold critiques of Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the senior national cricket team. Although they have a history as teammates, playing together for both the Delhi state team and the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, Tiwary’s recent comments reveal a growing dissatisfaction with Gambhir’s coaching approach, especially after the team’s lackluster performances against Australia and New Zealand in Test matches.
Tiwary has openly called Gambhir a ‘hypocrite,’ accusing him of failing to practice what he preaches. This comes at a time when many are questioning Gambhir’s strategies and player choices, with Tiwary’s remarks bringing to light a rift between two former teammates, which has certainly raised eyebrows within the cricketing community.
“Why wouldn’t Nitish Rana and Harshit Rana, for example, not support Gautam Gambhir? Harshit Rana played in Perth in place of Akash Deep. How was that possible? What did Akash Deep do wrong? He bowled fantastic spells against Bangladesh and New Zealand. As a fast bowler, you dream about bowling in friendly conditions, but you dropped him and went in with Harshit, who doesn’t have that much first-class experience. Akash Deep has fabulous records. That is a completely biased selection. That is why players will come out and defend him,” said Tiwary in a chat with Hindustan Times.
On the other hand, Indian pacer Harshit Rana, who just made his Test debut, has stepped up to defend Gambhir, showcasing the intricate nature of team relationships and loyalty among players, even in the face of criticism. Yet, Tiwary remains undeterred by this support, pointing out that the relationship between players and their coaches can often lead to tension.
“I have said nothing wrong. This is PR which I am talking about. That never used to happen. When something or someone speaks the facts, people come up defending the individual, but they don’t know me. I only speak on facts. PR is quite evident,” he added.
Tiwary didn’t stop there, he also revisited old grievances, claiming that Gambhir had made hurtful comments about his family and former captain Sourav Ganguly. This adds a personal layer to his criticisms, suggesting that their relationship may be more complicated than it appears.
“When he fought with me during the Ranji Trophy match in Delhi, everyone heard every word from Gautam Gambhir’s mouth. Whether he was talking bad about Sourav Ganguly or whether he was abusing my family, he was protected by a few of the individuals. This is the PR I am talking about. The process of picking players and selecting them in the playing XI is not happening properly. Akash Deep was dropped in favour of Harshit Rana. If you thought Harshit was so good, why didn’t you continue with him for the rest of the series? Akash Deep doesn’t have a voice,” said Tiwary.
Tiwary also expressed doubts about Gambhir’s choices for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, particularly questioning the inclusion of Harshit Rana and Devdutt Padikkal over more experienced players from First-Class cricket.
“How was Devdutt Padikkal included in the Test squad, he was out of the equation. How did he come into the mix when Abhimanyu Easwaran was there, scoring so many runs non-stop? He has scored so many runs. Why wasn’t he selected and not played at No.3. These are the kinds of things happening, and the results are there for everyone to see,” he concluded.
