Former cricketer Manoj Tiwary has once again brought light on his relationship with ex-teammate Gautam Gambhir, recalling the incidents from the time together at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and their infamous altercation during a Ranji Trophy 2015.
In an interview with Lallantop, he detailed insights into their rocky dynamic, which stemmed from their days in the Indian Premier League.
When Tiwary joined KKR in 2010, he and Gambhir initially shared a good rapport, but things took a turn for the worse over time.
Tiwary alleged that Gambhir often scolded him without reason and used hurtful words.
“When I came to KKR in 2010, we got along nicely. But then he would lose his cool at me out of the blue.”
“I started thinking about it and realized that as a consistent performer and a promising youngster, I was getting media attention, which might not have gone down well with him.”
He recalled several instances where Gambhir’s actions towards him was unjustified. One such moment occurred during a friendly match against Australia. Tiwary scored 129 runs surpassing Gambhir’s 110.
Despite his performance, Tiwary said Gambhir blasted him over silly matters, including applying sunscream telling him, “What are you doing here? Everybody else is on the ground.”
“Once, we had a heated argument about my batting position at the Eden Gardens. I was upset and had gone to the washroom. He barged in and said ‘This attitude won’t work. Tujhe kabhi khilaunga nahi (I won’t give you a game).”
“This and that. I never liked such words. He was giving me a threat. Aaj ke baad, tujhe kabhi khilaunga nahi. Wasim Akram also came in. He was our bowling coach, so he calmed things down.”
“He said ‘You are the captain. Cool down’ He understood, he knew what was happening. He had said good things about my talent a few years ago,” Tiwary said.
The Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has often been a divisive figure in cricket. His attitude and strict approach has been criticised by players and commentators alike.
Recently, Tiwary openly criticised Gambhir’s appointment as head coach following India’s test series defeat to New Zealand and Australia.
He questioned Gambhir’s credentidals as head coach, labelling hima ‘hyprocrite’ who fails to practice what he preaches. Tiwary argued that Gambhir lacks clarity in his coaching philosophy and has yet to establish a distinctive style that benefits the national team.
Gambhir’s approach has also been evident in his current role as head coach. it is reported that he recommended the BCCI to impose restriction on family time for players during tour which has sparked debate aboutn maintaining a healthy balance between personal and professional commitments.
