Former Pakistan batter Ahmed Shehzad slammed India coach Gautam Gambhir, saying that he has brought politics into the Indian team environment. The pressure is mounting on Gambhir after his side suffered a big defeat against South Africa in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup, which has put their semi-final hopes under serious doubt. Along with this, some of his selection calls for the game was under scrutiny.
Gambhir was slammed by fans for opting for Washington Sundar instead of Axar Patel in a crucial match with the likes of R Ashwin and others questioning the call. Speaking on Haarna Mana Hai, Shehzad said that Gambhir’s mindset changed during his stint in Indian politics during 2019-24, when he served as Member of Parliament from East Delhi.
“When you enter any field, a complete focus is needed. Gambhir entered politics, and obviously his mindset changed. He was not very successful in politics, but it seems he has brought that same politics into the team environment. All this politics from Gautam Gambhir has damaged the image of the Indian team,” said Shehzad.
‘GAMBHIR NOT USING RESOURCES PROPERLY’
Shehzad slammed Gambhir for not using his resources properly, pointing out the example of Kuldeep Yadav, who only played one game during the ongoing T20 World Cup.
“The team resources are not being used properly – Gautam Gambhir is not managing them as well. You have a match-winner like Kuldeep Yadav, but he’s not being handled correctly,” said Shehzad.
Shehzad also felt that Kuldeep maybe left out of the team due to a disciplinary issue, after his altercation with India captain Suryakumar Yadav following the win against Pakistan. But the two men later shared a video dismissing suggestions of a rift. However, Shehzad feels there is more to the story.
“There was an incident after the Pakistan game where Suryakumar Yadav pushed him. People are now saying that perhaps Kuldeep Yadav was dropped because of a disciplinary issue or a problem with Suryakumar Yadav. Otherwise, he would not have been left out. Kuldeep Yadav brings variation and is a match-winner,” he said.
Shehzad said during the show that the pressure is mounting on Gambhir and Suryakumar, despite not losing a single bilateral series since taking charge of the side. India play Zimbabwe in their second Super 8 match on Thursday, February 26.
