The aftermath of India's disappointing performance in the 2024/25 season has sparked discussions regarding Gautam Gambhir's position as the head coach of the national team. Manoj Tiwary, a former teammate of Gambhir from both the Indian national team and the Kolkata Knight Riders, has publicly criticized him, asserting that the 43-year-old struggles to collaborate effectively with captain Rohit Sharma.

Tiwary raised concerns about the absence of opportunities for veteran all-rounder Jalaj Saxena to represent the Indian Test team, despite his impressive record in 145 first-class matches. “Gautam Gambhir is a hypocrite. He fails to practice what he preaches. The captain (Rohit) and Abhishek Nayar are both from Mumbai, and Rohit has been elevated to a prominent position. There is no advocate for Jalaj Saxena, who consistently performs yet remains silent,” Tiwary stated in an interview with News18 Bangla.

“How can they work in harmony? Rohit is a World Cup-winning captain, while Gambhir has led KKR to IPL championships both as a captain and mentor. However, Gambhir did not achieve these titles alone; it was a collective effort from all of us, including Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine, and myself. Yet, he seems to receive all the accolades. There exists a culture and public relations strategy that enables him to claim all the credit,” he added.

What is the role of a bowling coach?

Tiwary raised concerns regarding the likelihood of those working under Gambhir, including assistant coach Nayar and bowling coach Morne Morkel, opposing his directives. He stated, “What purpose does a bowling coach serve? He will simply concur with whatever the head coach dictates. Morne Morkel transitioned from Lucknow Super Giants, while Abhishek Nayar previously collaborated with Gambhir at Kolkata Knight Riders, and the Indian head coach is aware that Nayar will not challenge his orders.”

India experienced a significant setback by losing an ODI series to Sri Lanka for the first time since 1997, suffered a clean sweep by New Zealand in a Test series on home soil, and relinquished their decade-long dominance of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. These outcomes culminated in their failure to qualify for the final of the World Test Championship for the first time in history.

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