Ex-India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has also come out swinging at head coach Gautam Gambhir, alleging that he has been disturbing the team atmosphere since being appointed. Tiwary alleged that “too many controversial things” have happened under Gambhir’s regime, referring to the mounting discontent after the latest decisions of the team administration.
The largest point of discussion has been the replacement of ODI captain Rohit Sharma by Shubman Gill, an action that has sparked huge controversy among fans and experts. Most have started doubting whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, affectionately known as RoKo, will still be a part of India’s scheme for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
“If the senior players are there, if Ashwin is there, if Virat is there or if Rohit is there, then these guys have played so much cricket, these guys are established much more than the head coach or the other staff, these guys will raise questions if they don’t agree to a point. You just made sure that these guys are not there, basically,” Tiwary told InsideSport.
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“I have observed that since this coach took on the role, a lot of controversies have arisen. Many things that are happening are not good for Indian cricket. I believe that since the time he has been the head coach, Ashwin has taken a retirement. Rohit and Virat have also done so. Other things have happened, such as players being unexpectedly added to the squad and then being straight into the starting XI. We have seen that Gambhir has not been consistent,” he added.
Both players will come back to international cricket for the first time since India’s Champions Trophy win in 2025. They made their Test retirement announcements earlier this year after a lackluster Australia tour, a move that left everyone surprised, particularly with an England series looming. Recent retirements of experienced players, such as Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy mid-last year, only fueled speculations.
“I believe the circumstances that have been created, the atmosphere that has been created, the pressure that is there on these players, I believe Rohit and Virat have been outstanding servants of Indian cricket. They have taken Indian cricket to new heights. The players who give their heart and soul, we have seen they have given their everything,” said Tiwary.
“If these players feel that things are affecting their image and they are no longer wanted in the dressing room, then they might consider retiring. I believe they want to play. I think Gambhir won’t take this big a call of not having these two individuals because, in the white-ball format, no one can deny the fact that these two have been outstanding. It would be a really poor decision if Gautam doesn’t include these two in the scheme of things for the World Cup,” he added.
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While this is on, reports have emerged claiming that Gambhir might have had some role to play in a few of these retirements, with Tiwary stating that the coach doesn’t like his advice being rejected. Still, Tiwary also asserted that Gambhir would probably shy away from leaving Rohit and Virat out of ODI cricket, considering how well they have done in the format.
As per various reports, the three-match ODI series against Australia may act as a farewell tour for the two legends, although both have not confirmed their retirement. An additional recent Dainik Jagran report also said that both Rohit and Kohli may be required to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy if they want to remain in the contention for the 2027 World Cup.
