Former cricketer Manoj Tiwary labeled Gautam Gambhir a hypocrite following India’s 3-1 defeat to Australia in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
Under Gambhir’s tenure as head coach, India has also faced setbacks, including an ODI series loss in Sri Lanka and a humiliating home Test series defeat against New Zealand. Tiwary criticized Gambhir’s coaching methods, stating they have fallen short of expectations. He also took aim at the appointments of bowling coach Morne Morkel and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, calling their roles questionable. “Gautam Gambhir is a hypocrite. He doesn’t practice what he preaches. The captain (Rohit Sharma) is from Mumbai, and so is Abhishek Nayar. Rohit is being pushed to the forefront, but there’s no one to stand up for someone like Jalaj Saxena, who performs quietly,” Tiwary shared. Regarding the coaching staff, he added, “What’s the point of a bowling coach who agrees to everything? Morne Morkel came from Lucknow Super Giants, and Abhishek Nayar was with Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders. The Indian head coach knows they won’t challenge his decisions.” Tiwary also hinted at a strained relationship between Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, suggesting that their working dynamic might be challenging. “How will they work together? Rohit is a World Cup-winning captain, while Gambhir’s leadership success is limited to the IPL. When KKR won the IPL titles, it wasn’t solely Gambhir’s doing. Players like Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine, and I contributed as a unit, but Gambhir got all the credit due to a supportive PR environment,” Tiwary remarked. India’s next assignment includes five T20Is and three ODIs at home against England, followed by the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.