Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary share a long history together. Their journey began in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dressing room during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and includes a notable confrontation during the 2015 Ranji Trophy match. Currently, Gambhir, who serves as India's head coach, is under significant scrutiny due to the team's recent disappointing performances in Test matches.

India has suffered defeats in six out of their last eight Tests against New Zealand and Australia, resulting in their absence from the World Test Championship (WTC) final for the first time. Manoj Tiwary, a prominent figure in Bengal's domestic cricket and a player with 12 ODIs and 3 T20Is for India, remarked that the outcomes "speak for themselves," indicating that Gambhir has much to learn in order to reverse the current trend.

Under Gambhir's leadership, India has experienced a loss in the ODI series against Sri Lanka, faced a home whitewash against New Zealand, and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a decade of dominance. While the former opener has achieved success in T20I cricket, the results in ODIs and Tests have been far from satisfactory.

"The outcomes are evident. Losing three series in such a brief period is concerning, especially the loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the unprecedented home series defeat to New Zealand. This is simply unacceptable. Additionally, the ODI series loss against Sri Lanka compounds the issue," Tiwary stated in an interview with Hindustan Times.

Winning and losing are inherent aspects of the game, yet the outcomes are indicative of deeper issues. It is essential to analyze the factors contributing to these defeats. One must comprehend and ensure that such issues do not persist. Why has he failed to deliver the anticipated results? Rahul Dravid entrusted him with this responsibility. Dravid departed on a successful note, but that momentum has not been sustained, primarily due to a lack of coaching experience, he remarked.

Gambhir secured the position of coach for the Indian team following his successful leadership of the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL championship in 2024. The former opening batsman has also guided the Lucknow Super Giants and KKR in the IPL. However, Tiwary expressed skepticism regarding Gambhir's qualifications, emphasizing that coaching and mentoring are fundamentally distinct roles that should not be conflated.

"Before assuming the coaching role with the Indian team, did he possess any coaching experience in first-class cricket, the IPL, or any other global context? Has he coached any teams? Mentoring and coaching are entirely different. This is a common misconception among fans and others. Coaching and mentoring are opposites. Without experience, how can one expect to achieve success? This is the current situation, and the results are evident to all," Tiwary stated.

"It will require time for him, as only by learning from his mistakes and improving in subsequent series can positive outcomes be expected. We must ultimately consider how long he will be retained in the coaching position," he concluded.

Why did Manoj Tiwary call Gambhir a 'hypocrite'?

Tiwary defended his position by labeling Gambhir a "hypocrite," referencing a previous interview in which Gambhir articulated reasons against hiring foreign coaches for the Indian team. Tiwary pointed out the inconsistency between Gambhir's statements and his actions, noting that he appointed Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel as assistant and bowling coaches, respectively.

"I referred to him as a hypocrite due to a past interview where he stated, ‘Foreign coaches lack emotions and feelings; they come here merely to earn money and enjoy themselves.’ When it was his opportunity to choose Indian coaches and support staff of Indian origin, he opted for Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel instead. Despite having the resources he desired, he has failed to deliver results. His actions contradict his words, which is why I labeled him a hypocrite," Tiwary explained.

Recently, Nitish Rana and Harshit Rana expressed their support for Gambhir on social media. However, Tiwary perceives this as a "PR game," suggesting that their allegiance is expected since they played under Gambhir during his tenure as captain of KKR, where he led the team to two IPL championships.

Tiwary also raised concerns regarding Harshit Rana's selection for the Perth Test against Australia, particularly in light of Akash Deep's impressive performances as a Test bowler in the preceding series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

"Why would Nitish Rana and Harshit Rana not support Gautam Gambhir? Harshit Rana played in Perth instead of Akash Deep. What justification is there for that? Akash Deep performed exceptionally well against Bangladesh and New Zealand. As a fast bowler, one aspires to bowl in favorable conditions, yet he was overlooked for Harshit, who lacks substantial first-class experience. Akash Deep boasts excellent statistics. This selection appears biased, which is likely why players feel compelled to defend him," Tiwary remarked.

I have not made any inappropriate statements. My focus is on public relations, which has not been the norm in the past. When individuals present the truth, there are often defenders who do not truly understand the situation. My comments are based solely on factual information. The issues surrounding public relations are quite clear, he remarked.

Tiwary also addressed his widely reported confrontation with Gambhir during a Ranji Trophy match in 2015, claiming that Gambhir made derogatory remarks about his family and spoke ill of Sourav Ganguly.

"During the Ranji Trophy match in Delhi, Gautam Gambhir's words were audible to all. Whether he was disparaging Sourav Ganguly or insulting my family, he received protection from certain individuals. This exemplifies the public relations issue I am referring to. The selection process for players and the formation of the playing XI are not being conducted appropriately. Akash Deep was replaced by Harshit Rana. If Harshit was deemed superior, why was he not retained for the entire series? Akash Deep lacks a platform to voice his concerns," Tiwary stated.

"How did Devdutt Padikkal find his way into the Test squad when he was previously overlooked? What led to his inclusion when Abhimanyu Easwaran was consistently scoring runs? He has accumulated a significant number of runs. Why was he not chosen to play at No. 3? These are the types of issues that are occurring, and the outcomes are evident for all to observe," he continued.

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