Manoj Tiwary Criticizes Team Management Over Ashwin’s Treatment
Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has criticized the Indian team management for what he described as poor handling of Ravichandran Ashwin during the recent Australia tour. Speaking to Press Trust of India, Tiwary alleged that Ashwin was insulted, which ultimately led to the spinner’s decision to retire from international cricket.
Tiwary questioned the team’s decision to field less experienced spinners like Washington Sundar and Tanush Kotian in home series matches despite having a proven match-winner like Ashwin in the squad.
“Ashwin was insulted,” Tiwary said. “Washington Sundar and Tanush Kotian are quality spinners and have done well in domestic cricket. But when you have someone of Ashwin’s calibre, why bring in others and have them bowl more overs than him? Isn’t that disrespectful?”
Ashwin announced his retirement midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after playing only one game, the Pink Ball Test. In a joint press conference with Rohit Sharma following the Brisbane Test, Ashwin stated he would return home and skip the remaining matches.
“After delivering so many match-winning performances, would he just walk away like that? No. He’s a nice guy and won’t speak about it now, but one day, he’ll share his experience. This is not the right way to treat a player. They deserve respect and a proper send-off,” Tiwary added.
Dressing Room Tensions and Criticism of Gambhir
Tiwary also claimed there were clear signs of a rift between captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir during the Australia tour. He pointed to dressing room leaks as evidence of discord and suggested the two were “not on the same page.”
In a broader critique of Gambhir, Tiwary accused the former India opener of hypocrisy and taking undue credit for the Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL successes.
“Gambhir didn’t win KKR the title single-handedly. It was a team effort involving players like Jacques Kallis, Sunil Narine, and me. But he has a way of taking all the credit, thanks to effective PR,” Tiwary said.
The former Bengal captain’s remarks reflect his frustration with how some players and coaches handle leadership and team dynamics, raising questions about the current approach to man-management within Indian cricket.
