Manoj Tiwary Asserts Gautam Gambhir Will Struggle to Drop Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli!
Manoj Tiwary criticized Gautam Gambhir for not being able to drop Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli from the team playing XI. He highlighted that Rohit made the personal decision not to play in the Sydney Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tiwary also questioned the selection of Tanush Kotian over Jalaj Saxena, a proven first-class performer, and raised concerns about the team's success in ICC tournaments.
Gautam Gambhir has been on a fallout with former India batter Manoj Tiwary regarding the selection of players for the Indian squad, particularly around the decision not to include Jalaj Saxena. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Tiwary expressed that Gambhir would not have the authority to drop key players like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, despite their recent struggles. He said:
I think Rohit Sharma took the decision. It was his own decision. I don’t think Gautam Gambhir will be able to drop Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma. I think it was Rohit’s decision. Rohit should have played in Sydney because he was the captain. He said he wasn’t scoring runs, so obviously, he wasn’t scoring runs, but others weren’t also doing so. Sometimes, you go to that mindset where you feel you must be dropped rather than someone else. You are just doubting your own abilities and putting others’ abilities above you. This should not be done by a captain. I think Rohit Sharma is a tremendous talent. He has proven himself. Batters and bowlers, everyone goes through a rough patch. Even coaches also. These things can be rectified, and you can return and score runs. I personally felt he shouldn’t have dropped himself. It looks like he did that for the sake of the team. As a captain, you cannot drop himself when the Test series is on the line.
He emphasized that it was Rohit’s personal decision to sit out the Sydney Test during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and argued that as a captain, he should have played. Tiwary also critiqued the selection of Tanush Kotian over Saxena, a proven performer in first-class cricket, noting that Saxena had impressive stats with 464 wickets and 6,834 runs. He added:
Tanush Kotian also got selected. I felt Jalaj Saxena would have been the right choice. He deserved that opportunity. BCCI should have respected such a cricketer who has been fabulous with his performances. Why did a player of his calibre not get a look in when Ashwin retired? How come Tanush Kotian came into the mix? These things are quite evident.
Tiwary questioned why the BCCI overlooked such deserving candidates and why India had not been as successful in ICC tournaments despite having the right facilities. He believes that India can win more ICC events if these issues are addressed.
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