Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary recently clarified his controversial remarks about India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir, after facing backlash for labelling him a hypocrite. In a detailed statement on Twitter, Tiwary blamed the media for selectively editing a 20-minute interview to sensationalize his comments. On January 9, during an interview with News18, Tiwary had criticized Gambhir’s coaching approach following India’s struggles in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and their failure to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final.
In the interview, Tiwary expressed concerns about Gambhir’s leadership style, calling him a hypocrite who “doesn’t walk the talk.” He questioned Gambhir’s reliance on familiar faces, citing the appointments of Morne Morkel and Abhishek Nayar, who had previously worked with him in franchise cricket. Tiwary argued that such decisions lack objectivity and clarity in building a cohesive coaching team.
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However, after former cricketer Aakash Chopra criticized him for joining the wave of public discontent against Gambhir, Tiwary issued a clarification. Addressing Chopra directly, Tiwary explained that his remarks were taken out of context. “I was at my coaching center when local media approached me for an interview. It lasted 20-25 minutes, but only a few lines were highlighted to create a narrative,” he said.
Manoj Tiwary expressed respect for Chopra but refuted the suggestion that he was opportunistically adding his voice to the criticism against Gambhir.
“Aakash bhai accused me of ‘washing my hands in the flowing Ganga’—an idiom implying opportunism. That’s not true. I wasn’t influenced by comments from Sunil Gavaskar or Sanjay Manjrekar. I only shared my honest perspective,” he clarified. He emphasized that his views were personal and not an attempt to align with any broader critique of Gambhir. “I respect Aakash and his opinions, but it’s important to set the record straight. I didn’t follow what others were saying; I simply voiced what I felt during the interview.”
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Manoj Tiwary concluded by reiterating his respect for constructive criticism while emphasizing his disappointment with how his comments were presented. His clarification highlights the challenges public figures face in navigating media narratives while sharing their opinions honestly.
