"When the dust settles..."- Gautam Gambhir breaks silence on MP Shashi Tharoor's 'hardest job after PM' remark

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has strongly supported India coach Gautam Gambhir by calling him “the man with the toughest job after the Prime Minister” after their meeting in Nagpur on Wednesday. Tharoor’s comments were made just before the first T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand at the New VCA Stadium, where he acknowledged the enormous pressure that comes with leading the Indian cricket team.

Tharoor, who shared a photo from their interaction on X, called Gambhir an old friend and commended his ability to remain calm amidst tireless public scrutiny. The senior parliamentarian exclaimed, “He is being second-guessed by millions daily but stays calm and walks on undaunted,” lauding Gambhir’s nice struggle and leadership during a time when Indian cricket is under the spotlight.

Gambhir, who has been under constant criticism since assuming the role of head coach, graciously replied to Tharoor’s post. He thanked Gambhir for the support and hinted at the misconceptions regarding a coach’s power by saying that the perception of him having “unlimited power” is quite the opposite. He also found it funny that he has been depicted as working against his own players, many of whom he referred to as “the very best.”

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Endorsement underscores the pressure and resilience that come with India’s coaching role

Ever since taking on the role, Gambhir has been held accountable in most cases for the controversial decisions through the selection of teams to the supposed persecution of senior players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The criticism directed at Gambhir has been fueled by India’s mixed results in Tests and ODIs, and memes along with personal attacks have often been the way through which social media has targeted him.

Under these circumstances, Tharoor’s support is not only important but also a very timely one for Team India, that the T20I series against New Zealand is going to be a major preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026. The first match has been an encouraging start with India winning by a very convincing 48 runs in Nagpur.

The public support from Tharoor, who is a well-known figure, is quite rare in the midst of all the noise for Gambhir, it being the very point that leadership in Indian cricket demands resilience as much as results.