“Gautam Gambhir A Bully, Makes Indian Players Insecure”- Barrage Of Accusations Launched By Ex-Teammate

Gautam Gambhir Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli. Image Credits: AFP

Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir has come under heavy scrutiny as his ex-teammate accused him of being a bully. He criticised Gambhir’s aggressive coaching style and made explosive claims about the team environment.

Gambhir took over as head coach in 2024. Since then, India performed remarkably well in white-ball formats. However, in Tests, the results have been shambolic.

The men in blue not only lost home series but also fell short in the Border Gavaskar Trophy and WTC 2025 finals.

Atul Wassan trashes Gautam Gambhir

Naturally, Gambhir has come under the line of fire for his unconventional coaching style. Recently, his ex-teammate Atul Wassan launched a scathing attack on the coach.

Talking to Vickey Lalwani on YouTube, Wassan claimed that Gambhir is extremely confrontational and he operates with a “fall in line, or you’re out” mentality.

He further added that Gautam Gambhir is highly egoistic, and if things don’t go his way, he tries to harm people. 

“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 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,” Wassan said.

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Wassan claims people fear Gautam Gambhir

That being said, the strongest accusation from Atul Wassan is that Gautam Gambhir creates a culture in the Indian team where players fear being sidelined if they disagree with him.

He claimed that some players privately feel uncomfortable within the current environment, though he stopped short of naming individuals. 

“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 added.

Gambhir was previously criticised for a rift with Kohli, Rohit

This statement comes after rumours of a rift between Gautam Gambhir and senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma came to light. As per speculations, Gambhir insists on sacking Rohit and Kohli from the ODI team before the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Since the duo will be in their late 30s, the coach doesn’t see them fitting into the young squad. However, with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma performing at their absolute best, it’s difficult to sideline them without any credible reasons.

Hence, for now, Gautam Gambhir is at a crossroads. As the deadline for the next World Cup inches closer, more explosive developments are expected along these lines.

Also Read - Virat Kohli Breaks Silence On His Ex-Teammate's Death Mid IPL