India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has strongly responded to criticism from former India all-rounder Kirti Azad regarding the Indian team’s temple visit after their triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The debate surfaced after India’s emphatic 96-run victory over the New Zealand national cricket team in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8.
Following the historic win, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Gambhir visited a Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad with the World Cup trophy. They were accompanied by Jay Shah, the chairman of the International Cricket Council. The visit was intended as a moment of gratitude after India successfully defended their T20 World Cup title, sparking celebrations across the country.
#WATCH | Gujarat: ICC Chairman Jay Shah, Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir, along with Skipper Surya Kumar Yadav, offered prayers at the Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad.
The Men in Blue crushed New Zealand by 96 runs to lift the #ICCT20WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/71SWAraDre
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2026
However, Azad — a member of India’s iconic 1983 Cricket World Cup-winning squad led by Kapil Dev — criticised the gesture in a social media post. He argued that the Indian cricket team represents people of every faith and questioned why the trophy was taken to a temple rather than to places of worship of other religions. His remarks quickly triggered debate among fans and cricket followers.
When asked about Kirti Azad’s comments during a recent ANI podcast interview, Gautam Gambhir made it clear that he believes such statements only undermine the players’ achievements. The former India opener felt the focus should remain on celebrating a historic sporting moment rather than creating unnecessary controversy.
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“What should I say about this? I don’t think it’s even worth answering that question,” Gautam Gambhir said during the interview. “It is a massive moment for the entire country. Winning a World Cup is something special, and we should celebrate that achievement.”
SHAME ON TEAM INDIA! 😡
When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team.
We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat Hindustan
Why The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged.…
— Kirti Azad (@KirtiAzaad) March 9, 2026
He is not even worth answering this question
One more belt treat treatment to Kirti Azad 😂
This time from Gautam Gambhir. pic.twitter.com/1plV2VTWAS
— Lala (@FabulasGuy) March 11, 2026
Gambhir emphasised that discussions about such remarks risk overshadowing the immense effort the players put in throughout the tournament. According to him, the 15-member squad endured tremendous pressure during the campaign, especially after a difficult defeat earlier in the competition against the South Africa national cricket team.
The India head coach pointed out that the team fought through those challenging moments before eventually lifting the trophy in front of a packed home crowd in Ahmedabad. For Gambhir, that journey and the players’ resilience deserved recognition rather than criticism.
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He further added that repeatedly highlighting controversial statements can dilute the magnitude of the achievement. “If we start giving importance to every such comment, it becomes unfair to the boys who worked so hard for this victory,” he said.
Gambhir concluded by stressing that the focus should remain on honouring the players’ dedication and celebrating India’s remarkable World Cup success — a moment that brought joy to millions of cricket fans across the nation.
