By Admin 
After Team India’s defeat in the Kolkata Test, head coach Gautam Gambhir is under constant attack. Already questions were being raised regarding team selection and role of players, now the sharp statements of former cricketers are provoking this controversy further. After Cheteshwar Pujara, now former cricketer Manoj Tiwari has also made a direct attack on Gambhir. He claimed that by creating a narrative of “transition phase”, pressure was created on senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to leave Test cricket.
“There is no need for transition, only pressure was created”
Speaking to India Today, Tiwari said that there is no need for anything like “transition” in Indian cricket. According to him, there is so much talent in Indian domestic cricket that whenever there is a need for change in any position, new players are available ready.
Tiwari said, “It was by creating this transition narrative that legends like Rohit and Virat were sidelined. They wanted to play Test cricket now, but the environment was created such that they had to step back. He clearly said that teams like New Zealand or Zimbabwe need transition, not a talent-rich country like India.
Questions on Gambhir’s coaching method also
Not only on the retirement issue, Tiwari also raised questions on Gambhir publicly targeting players. After losing the Kolkata Test, Gambhir had commented on the technique of the batsmen, to which Tiwari said, “The job of a coach is not to criticize, but to teach. If the batsmen are facing problems against spin, then why were they not prepared before the match?”
He said that Gambhir himself was an excellent batsman against spin, hence he should have guided the young players of the team more.
Pressure increased before Guwahati test
India has lost the first test and now to save the series the team will have to win in Guwahati from 22nd November. Amid increasing serious statements and controversies, the mental pressure on the team is also sure to increase.
Questions raised again on Rohit-Virat’s test retirement
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had taken retirement from shorter formats after the T20 World Cup 2024, but had expressed their desire to play Tests. Then suddenly in May 2025, both of them announced their retirement from Test cricket within a span of just 5 days, which surprised the cricket world. Even at that time there was talk that some people in the team management were trying to make changes. Now after Tiwari’s statement this issue has become heated again.