Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli (PTI Photo) Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has made explosive remarks about the atmosphere inside the Indian team under head coach Gautam Gambhir, claiming that not every player is comfortable with the former seamer’s intense and uncompromising approach. Wassan, who has previously criticized Gambhir and once served as Delhi coach during the controversial phase of Gambhir’s domestic career, suggested that there is tension in the current Indian dressing room despite the team’s success in white-ball cricket.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Debut in India: Calls are getting louder Wassan said on Vicky Lalwani’s YouTube show that several players in the Indian environment were unhappy with Gambhir’s management style and strong personality. “I’m sure not all players can be in a happy place. Someone will be sleeping on pins and needles; it happens. Personal likes and dislikes, and that too with such a strong personality. With personal likes and dislikes and the management is a stick, if you keep winning then it’s fine. But if you lose, you have to listen to the criticism,” Wassan said. The former India pacer was then asked if he personally knew any players who were unhappy under Gambhir’s leadership. While Wassan refused to divulge names, he hinted that there are several cricketers who feel left out. “I know 1-2 of them; they won’t say it openly. I can’t say their names on this show. Everyone knows what’s going on. But if you take those 2-4 players out, it’s your world. It’s a team sport; no one will listen to the player. If the coach wins after all that, then the coach is right and the player is wrong,” he added. Wassan and Gambhir have had a strained relationship in the past. During Wassan’s time as the Delhi selector, Gambhir was removed as Delhi captain, a move that sparked controversy after the former India opener claimed that he was not properly informed of the decision. Gambhir took over as India’s head coach on 10 July 2024, replacing Rahul Dravid. His tenure has produced mixed results across formats. India enjoyed a dominant run in white-ball cricket, becoming the first side to hold the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup 2025 titles simultaneously. However, India’s red ball performances have come under sharp scrutiny in the same period. The team endured rare home series whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa while handing Australia the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in 10 years. Gambhir’s tenure as coach also saw the development of several major developments involving senior players. Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from all international cricket midway through the 2024-25 Test series against Australia after the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Months later, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket in May 2025, marking the end of an era in the Indian batting line-up. Rohit was also dropped as India’s ODI captain despite leading the team to the Champions Trophy earlier that year, with Shubman Gill later taking over the role.
