'He made Ashwin insecure...': Manoj Tiwary blames Gautam Gambhir for forcing R Ashwin's Test retirement

Former KKR batter Manoj Tiwary launched full blown attack on India's head coach Gautam Gambhir following team's embarrassing Test series sweep against South Africa. Gambhir has recently become the subject of intense scrutiny and public discussion, particularly following India's abysmal show in Test series against Proteas. The pressure on both Gambhir and Team India is visibly mounting, with fans, former players, and critics alike directing full blown criticism toward his decisions.

Was Gautam Gambhir behind R Ashwin's Test retirement? Manoj Tiwary answers

Since Gambhir's appointment as head coach, the Indian team has unfortunately faced a series of historic setbacks. These notable failures include losing their first-ever bilateral series in Sri Lanka, suffering their first home Test series defeat, conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and, most recently, being handed a series whitewash against South Africa at home, a defeat not suffered in 25 years. Adding to the upheaval, the Test squad saw the retirement of three of its biggest stars—Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, all within a six-month period.

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The high-profile retirements have fueled further controversy, with many fans and supporters suggesting that Gambhir created an uncomfortable or challenging environment within the team. While most criticism has been indirect, former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary made a public and direct accusation. Tiwary openly blamed the head coach, stating that Gambhir was responsible for fast-tracking Ravichandran Ashwin’s retirement from the format.

“You [Gambhir] made Ashwin insecure just by bringing Washington Sundar from outside the squad. It's a clear indication that you no longer trust Ashwin. In my opinion, it made him uncomfortable, and that's why he retired in Australia,” Tiwary told Hindustan Times.

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There was a lot of chopping and changing: Tiwary slams Gambhir for India's disastrous show in Test series vs SA

Tiwary's criticism specifically focused on the lack of stability within the Indian team under Gambhir's tenure. He argued that the consistent "chopping and changing" of the playing eleven has directly undermined India's performance and consistency in the format. According to Tiwary, these detrimental warning signs indicating a problem had been apparent for several months.

"To be honest, the writing was on the wall. It had to happen. I knew things were not going well; the process they wanted to follow was not the right strategy or plan. There was a lot of chopping and changing, which was very evident. That could have been in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, home series against New Zealand and now against South Africa," Tiwary added.