Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has called out India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir for tactical missteps, urging him to “take a chill pill” after India’s hard-fought draw in the fourth Test against England in Manchester on July 27, 2025. With India trailing 1-2 in the series, Manjrekar credited the players’ resilience rather than Gambhir’s strategies, pointing to India’s recent 3-0 home loss to New Zealand and a defeat in Australia. “Tactically, Gambhir hasn’t always made things easier, especially with some of his selections,” he said on JioHotstar.

Manjrekar took issue with Gambhir’s defense of captain Shubman Gill, who faced scrutiny over his leadership and batting. Gambhir dismissed critics as lacking cricket knowledge, asserting Gill’s talent was never in doubt and that captaincy pressure didn’t affect him.

Manjrekar countered, “Even people who deeply understand cricket wonder whether this was the right time to hand him that opportunity.” He also challenged Gambhir’s claim that Karun Nair wasn’t dropped but merely excluded from the “best eleven,” calling it a semantic dodge: “If someone is dropped, he is dropped.”

The outspoken analyst, a veteran of 37 Tests, urged Gambhir to embrace tough questions and avoid labeling valid critiques as “outside noise.” With the final Test looming at Kennington Oval, Manjrekar’s remarks highlight growing scrutiny of Gambhir’s intense approach as India fights to level the series.

Also Read: India’s Young Batsmen Silence Critics in England Test, Says Manjrekar

Also Read: Pant Sidelined: Jagadeesan Steps In