Harshit Rana and Nitish Rana have found themselves under scrutiny after posting nearly identical statements on social media in support of Gautam Gambhir, sparking criticism from former cricketer Aakash Chopra.
The controversy began when Manoj Tiwary publicly criticized Gambhir, calling him a “hypocrite” for his actions contradicting his earlier statements. Tiwary pointed out that Gambhir, who had once expressed discontent with foreign coaches, went on to select Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel for his coaching staff, which he deemed inconsistent.
In response, Nitish and Harshit Rana voiced their support for Gambhir on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. However, Chopra was quick to point out the striking similarities in their statements, which led him to joke that it felt like a “Chat GPT product.” On his YouTube channel, Chopra remarked, “The statements from both players are eerily similar, almost like they were written by the same person—or machine. It could even be Chat GPT.”
Gambhir Under Fire for Coaching Tenure
The criticism of Gambhir has been mounting after India’s recent defeats, including the loss of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and a whitewash in the Test series against Sri Lanka. Gambhir’s coaching record has come into question, particularly after India failed to make key selection decisions during the series.
Tiwary, in his interview with Hindustan Times, stated that Gambhir’s IPL franchise mentoring and national team coaching were entirely different roles and expressed doubts over his coaching experience. He also noted that Gambhir had been quick to take credit for Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) IPL titles in 2012 and 2014.
Aakash Chopra Weighs In
Chopra, while supporting Tiwary’s criticism, emphasized the inconsistency in Gambhir’s actions. He pointed out that selecting foreign coaches contradicted Gambhir’s previous stance on the issue. He also compared Gambhir’s approach to that of MS Dhoni, who has consistently shunned credit, yet has earned respect for his humility.
Chopra added, “MS Dhoni never asks for credit, yet he is always recognized. Gambhir, however, seems to take more credit for KKR’s success than he perhaps should.”
As the controversy continues to brew, Gambhir’s coaching future remains a topic of intense debate within the cricketing community.
