Manoj Tiwary, the seasoned Bengal cricketer, has opened up about his strained relationship with India’s current head coach, Gautam Gambhir. Calling him a “hypocrite,” Tiwary outlined Gambhir’s shortcomings as a coach and highlighted controversial decisions during his tenure, which has coincided with India’s struggles in the Test and ODI formats.
India’s Struggles Under Gambhir’s Coaching
Since Gambhir took over as head coach, Team India has faced a string of disappointing results. These include losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in 10 years, a whitewash against New Zealand at home, and an ODI series loss to Sri Lanka. India’s failure to qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final has further added to the criticism.
“The results are self-explanatory,” said Tiwary. “India’s loss to New Zealand at home was unprecedented. Gambhir has failed to carry forward the momentum that Rahul Dravid built during his tenure as head coach. This is largely due to his lack of experience in coaching.”
Tiwary emphasized that mentoring a team in the IPL is not equivalent to coaching a national side. “Coaching requires a different skill set. Gambhir had no prior coaching experience at the domestic level or internationally before taking up the India job. Mentoring IPL teams is not the same as coaching,” he added.
Hypocrisy Over Foreign Coaches
Tiwary accused Gambhir of hypocrisy for hiring foreign coaches, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel, despite previously criticizing the practice. “In an old interview, Gambhir dismissed foreign coaches, saying they lack emotions and only care about money. Yet, he appointed ten Doeschate and Morkel as assistant and bowling coaches. His actions contradict his words,” Tiwary remarked.
Controversial Selection Decisions
Tiwary questioned Gambhir’s player selection, particularly the inclusion of Harshit Rana in the Perth Test against Australia over Akash Deep, who had performed exceptionally well in previous matches. “Akash Deep bowled brilliantly against Bangladesh and New Zealand but was dropped in favor of Harshit, who lacks first-class experience. Such biased decisions reflect poorly on the selection process,” said Tiwary.
He also raised concerns over Devdutt Padikkal’s inclusion in the Test squad despite being out of contention, while consistent performers like Abhimanyu Easwaran were overlooked. “How can someone like Easwaran, who has scored runs consistently, be ignored? The process is flawed, and it’s evident in the results,” he added.
Personal Feuds and Past Altercations
Tiwary revisited a 2015 Ranji Trophy match where he had a heated altercation with Gambhir. He alleged that Gambhir had abused his family and spoken ill of Sourav Ganguly during the incident. “Everyone heard what Gambhir said during that match. He was protected by a few individuals, showcasing the PR machinery at play,” Tiwary said.
Allegations of PR-Driven Defense
Tiwary dismissed the recent social media support for Gambhir by players like Nitish Rana and Harshit Rana as part of a “PR game.” He claimed that these players, having played under Gambhir in the IPL, are naturally inclined to defend him. “This kind of PR support didn’t exist earlier. It’s all orchestrated. I speak based on facts, and it’s clear the selection process is flawed,” he asserted.
A Call for Improvement
Despite his criticism, Tiwary expressed hope that Gambhir would learn from his mistakes and bring positive changes. “It will take time, but improvement is necessary. How long Gambhir continues as coach depends on whether he can deliver better results in the future,” he concluded.
The ongoing debate highlights the challenges facing Indian cricket and the scrutiny that comes with high-profile coaching roles. Whether Gambhir can overcome these criticisms and turn things around remains to be seen.
