Harshit Rana defends Gautam Gambhir amid criticism over BGT upset
What's the story
Indian cricket team's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, has been receiving intense backlash after India's 1-3 defeat to Australia in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The loss was the first time in a decade that India failed to retain the trophy. This has resulted in widespread discontent among fans and former cricketers alike.
But Indian pacer Harshit Rana has come forward to defend Gambhir amid the uproar.
Defense
Rana's support for Gambhir
Rana, who has previously worked with Gambhir at the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), took to Instagram to express his support for the head coach.
He wrote, "Criticizing someone due to personal insecurities is not good. Gauti bhaiya is someone who thinks more for others than himself."
Rana also praised Gambhir's ability to support players during tough times and his strategic acumen in turning games around.
Solidarity
Nitish Rana also backs Gambhir
Former KKR player Nitish Rana has also come out in support of Gambhir. He stressed that criticism should be based on facts and not on personal insecurities.
Nitish called Gambhir one of the most selfless players he has ever met, lauding his capacity to shoulder responsibility in times of distress.
"Performance doesn't need any PR. The trophies speak for themselves," Nitish wrote in a post backing Gambhir.
Track record
Gambhir's coaching journey and recent defeats
Gambhir's stint as head coach started with India's tour of Sri Lanka.
Although India got off to a flying start in the T20I format, the team lost its first bilateral series against Sri Lanka in 27 years.
This was followed by a successful home series against Bangladesh, where India swept both Tests and T20Is.
However, the team was shocked 3-0 at home by New Zealand and failed to defend the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Criticism
Tiwary criticizes Gambhir's leadership
Former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary took a dig at Gambhir, calling him a 'hypocrite' after India's defeat to Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Tiwary hinted at a lack of unity between Gambhir and Rohit Sharma on the tour.
He also called out Gambhir for KKR's IPL victories, saying the former had "taken all the credit" for KKR's titles.
This criticism comes amid the ongoing debate over Gambhir's captaincy with India's recent cricketing failures.
Twitter Post
Here's Rana's Instagram story
INSTAGRAM STORY OF HARSHIT RANA...!!!!
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 9, 2025
- Gambhir is the hero for KKR & the players. pic.twitter.com/MKmvBRwp3d