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 opener’s intense and uncompromising approach. Wassan, who has previously been critical of Gambhir and once served as a Delhi selector during a controversial phase of Gambhir’s domestic career, suggested that tensions exist within the current Indian dressing room despite the team’s success in white-ball cricket.
Speaking on Vickey Lalwani’s YouTube show, Wassan alleged that a few players in the Indian setup were unhappy with Gambhir’s style of management and strong personality. “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,” Wassan said. The former India pacer was then asked whether he personally knew players who were dissatisfied under Gambhir’s leadership. While refusing to reveal names, Wassan hinted that there were a few cricketers who felt sidelined. “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,” he added. Wassan and Gambhir have shared a tense relationship in the past. During Wassan’s time as a Delhi selector, Gambhir was removed as Delhi captain, a move that sparked controversy after the former India opener claimed he had not been informed properly about the decision. Gambhir took charge as India’s head coach on July 10, 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 simultaneously hold the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Champions Trophy 2025 and Asia Cup 2025 titles. However, India’s red-ball performances have come under heavy scrutiny during the same period. The team endured rare home series whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa, while also surrendering the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in 10 years. Several major developments involving senior players have also unfolded during Gambhir’s coaching stint. Ravichandran Ashwin announced his retirement from all international cricket midway through the 2024-25 Test series against Australia following the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane. Months later, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepped away from Test cricket in May 2025, marking the end of an era in India’s batting line-up. Rohit was also removed as India’s ODI captain despite leading the team to the Champions Trophy title earlier that year, with Shubman Gill later taking over the role.
