Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary is never one to hold back his opinions, and his latest comments about Gautam Gambhir have sparked a social media uproar. Tiwary recently referred to Gambhir, the Indian head coach, as a ‘hypocrite,’ which quickly caught the attention of fans. The remark led to strong reactions from Kolkata Knight Riders’ fast bowler Harshit Rana and former captain Nitish Rana, who both came out in support of Gambhir.
But Tiwary’s remarks didn’t end there. The former India batter also weighed in on Ravichandran Ashwin’s unexpected retirement during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last month. Ashwin’s decision to retire after the third Test in Brisbane took the cricketing world by surprise, and Tiwary was quick to criticize the team management for how they treated the veteran off-spinner.
Tiwary accused the management of “insulting” Ashwin, highlighting how the seasoned bowler was rarely used compared to Washington Sundar during the series. According to Tiwary, Ashwin deserved better treatment, and his limited role in the squad was a sign of disregard for his experience and contributions to Indian cricket.
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“I saw Ashwin being insulted. Players like Washington Sundar and Tanush Kotian are quality spinners who performed well in first-class cricket, but when you have a player of Ashwin’s caliber, what is the need to bring in Washington for a home series when Ashwin, Jadeja, and Kuldeep are available? And to make him bowl fewer overs than Washington, isn’t that an insult to Ashwin?” Tiwary told PTI.
Tiwary also expressed that Ashwin deserved a better farewell and hopes that the off-spinner will eventually share his version of the events surrounding his retirement. “Will he just carry on after all the match-winning performances? He’s a nice guy, so he won’t say anything, but one day, he will come out and share his experience. This process was not right. Players also deserve some recognition and dignity,” Tiwary added.
Though Ashwin has retired from international cricket, he has confirmed he will continue to play in franchise and club cricket. The spinner is set to return to Chennai Super Kings for the 2025 Indian Premier League season after spending three years with Rajasthan Royals.