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Manjrekar launches sharp attack on Gautam Gambhir
India’s campaign at the T20 World Cup Super 8 stage began on a disastrous note as the Suryakumar Yadav-led side slumped to a crushing 76-run defeat against South Africa in Ahmedabad. The heavy loss, India’s biggest ever in T20 World Cup history, has not only dented their confidence but also mangled their net run rate, leaving them in a must-win game against Zimbabwe.
In the aftermath of the defeat, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar launched a sharp critique of head coach Gautam Gambhir, questioning his over-reliance on all-rounder Washington Sundar in high-pressure situations. Chasing a competitive target of 188, India’s innings was never in rhythm. Early wickets triggered a top-order collapse, and the decision to promote Sundar to No. 5 also backfired.
"Kailas Jeevan, there used to be a medicine by that name back in the day. If you had a headache, you would use it. If you had a stomach issue, you would take it. It was an all-in-one remedy. Gautam Gambhir seems to have an all-in-one solution for everything too, Washington Sundar," Manjrekar said on CNN-News18's Stump Mic.
Manjrekar pointed out that such experimentation at a critical juncture of the tournament reflected questionable game awareness. According to him, promoting Sundar ahead of reliable batting options put excessive responsibility on the player.
"If there's a batting problem, Washi. If there's a bowling problem, Washi. He was promoted up the order to No. 5 today, and then Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya walked in at No. 7. It was just too much," he added.
Manjrekar also pointed out India's struggle against pace, which he felt needs to be addressed.
"Forget fast bowling, focus on playing the slower balls. They are not able to handle slower balls or spinners. The captain is struggling the most against slower deliveries," he said.
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