Former India bowler Atul Wassan has slammed Gautam Gambhir’s tenure as head coach of the senior men’s side, claiming that several players are uncertain about their position across formats. Wassan, a former Delhi selector, alleged that players were unhappy with the aggressive nature of Gambhir’s leadership.
Wassan and Gambhir have had their share of tiffs in the past during the latter’s playing career. Gambhir had slammed the selection committee headed by Wassan after he was sacked as Delhi captain in the 2017-18 domestic season. The two-time World Cup winner later said that he was not made aware of the decision by the selectors.
Speaking on the Vickey Lalwani show on YouTube, Wassan, who appeared in four Tests and nine ODIs for India, detailed Gambhir’s aggressive nature from his formative days.
‘He will try to harm you’
“I have known him personally since he was a child. I have had my issues with him. With him, it’s about my way or the highway. He is like that, and he would bully a lot, even in Delhi cricket. His nature is only like that. From the start, he was from money, that nature only, an excellent player, and he is intelligent.”
“His ego is on a different level. He thinks that if he says it’s night when it’s morning, it will be believed to be night. Fall in line. If you don’t fall in line, you are on my hit list. He will try to harm you, but he has achieved a lot in cricket, and his nature helped him in cricket,” he said.
The 58-year-old said that Gambhir’s success on the field also hinged on his aggressive nature and that is flair for charged confrontations have continued even in his role as a coach.
“The player he became is because of his nature. He couldn’t give his best unless he fights. He probably goes and fights in the mirror at home. He thinks it still drives him. That’s why he is confronting [Virat] Kohli… over-aggressiveness and an alpha-male kind of personality from Delhi. He has lost and has also won also.”
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Gambhir’s coaching tenure has been a mixed bag since taking over from Rahul Dravid in July 2024. While he oversaw the Champions Trophy (2025) and T20 World Cup (2026) wins, India’s home record has suffered several setbacks across formats. In Tests, India endured series defeats to New Zealand and South Africa while the Kiwis also trumped Gambhir’s men in the ODIs earlier this year.
“His report card has blemishes. The home series that we have lost, two or three. There’s still time to evaluate his record,” said Wassan.
The former Delhi bowler also said claimed that multiple national team players are constricted by Gambhir’s coaching style.
“I am sure that all the players cannot be in a happy place. Somebody will be sleeping on needles; this happens. Personal likes and dislikes, and that too with such a strong personality. With personal likes and dislikes, and leading them with a stick, if you keep on winning, then it’s fine. But if you lose, then you need to listen to criticism,” he said.
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Wassan deflected from taking names, but said: “I know 1-2 of them; they won’t say it openly. I can’t say their names in this show. Everyone knows whats happening. But after sidelining those 2-4 players, if you win, then it’s your world.
“It’s a team sport; nobody will listen to the player. If the coach wins even after all this, then the coach is right, and the player is wrong.”
