Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Gautam Gambhir could use a little more calmness in his approach—and maybe even take a “chill pill.” The cricketer-turned-analyst weighed in on India’s gritty draw in the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, crediting the players more than the head coach for the result, despite some questionable tactical decisions.
“I feel India has done well despite some of his (Gambhir) tactical decisions. Let's not forget: India lost 3-0 at home (to) New Zealand, lost comfortably to Australia (away). The fight we've seen in this team? That's down to the players.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Because tactically, Gambhir hasn't always made things easier—especially with some of his selections," Manjrekar said bluntly.
India managed to salvage a hard-fought draw on Day 5, but still trail the five-match series 1-2, with only one Test remaining. Despite the impressive resistance from the team, Gambhir’s decisions—particularly around team composition—have come under scrutiny.
Manjrekar also reacted to Gambhir’s recent defence of Shubman Gill. The head coach had taken a firm stand against those questioning Gill’s form and captaincy, dismissing critics as lacking cricketing understanding.
"There was never any doubt about Shubman Gill's talent. If someone had doubts, they probably don't understand cricket. Some players take time to settle in international cricket.
In this dressing room, no one is surprised by what he's done on this tour," Gambhir had said in the post-match press conference.
"Even if he hadn't performed the way he did, we would still have had complete faith in his talent. What matters is that he's living up to his expectations and potential. More importantly, the so-called pressure of captaincy doesn't seem to affect him when he bats; he plays as a batsman, not as a captain," he added.
Manjrekar, known for his candid views that sometimes go against popular opinion, shared his reaction to Gambhir’s remarks while speaking on JioHostar.
"Yeah, you can tell there are certain questions that get under his skin—especially when people question Gill as a young captain and batter. And honestly, those are valid doubts.
Even people who deeply understand cricket wonder whether this was the right time to hand him that opportunity. I just hope we can all understand this better," said the former India batter.
Manjrekar also took aim at the growing tendency among players and coaches to brush off external criticism as “outside noise”—a term that’s become a common refrain in Indian cricket over the past decade.
"It's not about 'you guys think’ and 'we think'—we're all part of the same industry and the same country. I'd just like to see him take a chill pill, relax a bit, and be open to tough questions. Whether that will happen, I'm not sure," he remarked.
He was equally dismissive of Gambhir’s claim that Karun Nair wasn’t dropped, but simply not picked in the best eleven.
"And to suggest that Karun Nair 'wasn't dropped'... come on. You guys see it as a drop; for them, it's about 'picking the right team'. If someone is dropped, he is dropped," Manjrekar added.
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