Former Indian opener Sadagoppan Ramesh has openly criticised head coach Gautam Gambhir over his handling of the Indian squad, alleging personal favouritism and unfair snubs. Ramesh specifically targeted Gambhir for overlooking Shreyas Iyer despite the batter’s stellar performances in IPL 2025 and prior domestic tournaments.

Ramesh further questioned the hype around India’s Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy draw, claiming India’s overseas success began during the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era rather than Gambhir’s tenure. Shreyas Iyer’s omission sparked controversy as he had enjoyed a sensational season with Punjab Kings, scoring 604 runs in 17 IPL matches at a strike rate of 174.

This followed a prolific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign, where he amassed over 300 runs at a strike rate of 188, showcasing his compatibility with India’s attacking T20I model. Despite this, he was left out of India’s 15-member Asia Cup squad, while Yashasvi Jaiswal was included only as a reserve.

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Ramesh slammed Gautam Gambhir, saying, “He backs the players he likes but completely lets go of those he doesn’t.” He emphasised that good form and consistent performances should be the primary criterion for selection, rather than personal preferences. He also highlighted other players who have been overlooked under Gambhir, including Ruturaj Gaikwad and Mohammed Siraj, despite strong T20I records.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ramesh questioned the narrative around India’s 2-2 draw in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. “Winning consistently abroad had started long back under Kohli and Shastri. But now, just a drawn series in England is being projected as a big achievement in Gambhir’s track record,” he said.

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Ramesh also praised Iyer’s role in India’s ICC Champions Trophy triumph, where the batter scored 243 runs, and argued that he deserved a permanent place in the white-ball setup. He stressed the importance of backing in-form players, saying, “Players must be backed when they are high on confidence and in form, not when they fade away. This is the ideal time to reap the rewards of Iyer’s sky-high confidence.”

Ramesh’s remarks add fuel to the ongoing debate over selection transparency and the approach of India’s current head coach, with many fans and former players questioning Gambhir’s decisions ahead of Asia Cup 2025.