The former Indian opening batter, Aakash Chopra, has praised the head coach of the national side, Gautam Gambhir, for his incredible tenure as the white-ball coach, reflecting on his impressive results in the Champions Trophy 2025, where they beat New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

In that event, under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India remained unbeaten as they went on to lift the title. Now, he will have another aim to repeat the same heroics during the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 at home and in Sri Lanka. Chopra has welcomed Gambhir’s fresh vision in T20Is.

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“He has an impeccable record in T20Is. In T20 cricket, he has created a new template. It will be interesting to see how Shubman Gill fits into this template as an opener. Considering the number of chances and confidence Sanju Samson was given, it seems like you invest in people and back them to the hilt.” Chopra expressed in his recent YouTube video.

Aakash Chopra reflects on Gautam Gambhir’s white-ball coaching ahead of Asia Cup 2025

Chopra further spoke about the Blue Brigade’s recent ICC success under the stint of the Delhi-born. He also credited India’s unconventional but successful team selection in the Champions Trophy, where they went with three spinners in the side, including Ravindra Jadeja, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav.

“You might say that he is not doing it now. Selection is the selectors’ job. The coach’s job is to play players from the team provided. I don’t think you should be looking at Gautam Gambhir at all for Shubman opening or becoming the vice-captain.” Aakash Chopra expressed during a recent video on the YouTube channel.

“The team selection was slightly against the grain. There were four spinners, and you played all four. That was phenomenal. Varun Chakaravarthy played, and he became your trump card. There, you have to give him the credit. There was criticism, but he stuck to his guns. You lifted the trophy without Jasprit Bumrah.” The renowned commentator concluded.

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain, posted an Instagram post to announce his Test retirement, which came as a shock to his teammates and the fans just before the start of the five-match Test series in England. Many felt that the Delhi-born could have easily played for another two years in the longest format, especially the entire WTC 2025-27 cycle.

The former Indian batter, Manoj Tiwary, during a recent interaction, has claimed that Kohli felt insecure in the team environment, which pushed him to make the decision. Tiwary also feels that Kohli, being a spiritual person in recent years, won’t reveal the reason for his retirement in public.

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“I don't know what happened. What is the story behind the scenes? I think he was not feeling like he was wanted in Team India. Only he can say. I think he will not come out and ever say this thing in a public forum because the human he has become, he has evolved as a human being. I think he is very happy with what God has given to him.” Tiwary told Crictracker.

Manoj Tiwary blames India’s team environment for Virat Kohli’s Test retirement

Kohli hung up his shoes as the fourth leading run-getter in Tests for India. The right-handed batter smashed 9230 runs in 210 innings at an average of 46.85, scoring 30 centuries and 31 half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 254 runs against South Africa in Pune. His last red-ball century came in Perth during the BGT 2024-25.

“He is becoming spiritual as well. When someone becomes spiritual, they just leave all these things aside and focus on the present. They don’t want to talk about the past. He has evolved as a human being; I don’t think he will come forward and ever say what has happened behind the scenes.” The former Kolkata Knight Riders’ batter commented.

“He could have easily played for another three years minimum and four years. It was very surprising and shocking for all the cricket fans, including me as well, because all we knew was that he was so physically fit and he was preparing himself for the England series.” Manoj Tiwary concluded in the interaction.

The upcoming superstar of the Indian side in the shortest format of the game, Rinku Singh, has lauded his national head coach and former mentor of the Kolkata Knight Riders from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gautam Gambhir, ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which is set to begin from September 09 at the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Rinku shed light on the other side of the former Indian opener, who is always seen as an aggressive and serious person in his playing days. The left-handed batter’s first stint with Gautam Gambhir came in IPL 2025, where he revealed the backing he got from the former KKR leader during a recent interaction with News24.

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“He backs every player well. During my KKR days, he backed them a lot. He gives freedom to all the players and says Go play and do whatever you want to do. You all know that he is aggressive, and one good thing about him is that he likes to win a lot. He always sits during the match and also keeps praying. He also supports a lot.” Rinku Singh expressed on News24. 

Rinku Singh explains the cool vibe of Gautam Gambhir ahead of Asia Cup 2025

Rinku, who has accumulated 546 T20I runs in 24 innings at an average of 42 and a strike rate of nearly 161 with three half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 69 runs, had a struggling season in 2024 when Gambhir was the mentor of the side. In that season, the southpaw cracked 168 runs at a strike rate of 148.67.

“It is not that he is always serious. He likes to listen to songs in the dressing room. Ramandeep used to be a DJ in our room. He used to play songs, and Gambhir likes to create a cool vibe. He also used to have fun and jokes with the senior players.” The Uttar Pradesh batter shed light.

After winning their third IPL title in 2024, Gambhir became the Indian head coach. Under him, India had a roller-coaster time, winning the Champions Trophy 2025 and drawing the away five-match Test series in England. However, they faced a home Test series whitewash against New Zealand and lost to Australia down under by 3-1.

Former India international Sadagopan Ramesh made some strong claims over India head coach Gautam Gambhir as the selection committee did not choose Shreyas Iyer for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 squad. Ramesh claimed that Gambhir backed only his personal favorite cricketers. The former international further believes that the 2-2 scoreline of the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy is overhyped. 

After clinching the Champions Trophy 2025, Team India did not get any notable success under Gautam Gambhir's coaching. Before the 5-match England Test series, the Men in Blue brigade was brutally defeated by New Zealand and Australia. Against New Zealand, India lost by 0-3, and against Australia, the 1-3 margin was against India. Ramesh reflected on how India was dominating in away series when Virat Kohli was the captain and Ravi Shastri was the head coach.

"He backs the players he likes but completely lets go of those he doesn't. The drawn series in England looks like a great achievement only because we performed poorly in Test cricket over the past year. Because winning consistently abroad had started long back under Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. But now, just the drawn series in England gets looked at as a big achievement in Gambhir's track record," the former opener opined on his YouTube channel. 

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'Gambhir not backing Iyer'

Ramesh couldn't digest the fact that BCCI snubbed Iyer from the Asia Cup squad. For dropping Iyer from the team, he slammed Gambhir without showing any mercy. The 30-year-old was India's best batter in the middle order in the Champions Trophy earlier this year by scoring 243 runs at an average of almost 49 in five games and helped India to win the title. 

"Gambhir's actual biggest achievement remains the Champions Trophy triumph. Shreyas Iyer was the biggest reason for that result. Yet, Gambhir is not backing Shreyas Iyer. Someone like Jaiswal, who is an X-factor player, must play all the formats. Keeping him in the standby is a poor move," he added. 

During the broadcast of The Hundred, former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik shared a humorous anecdote about India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir. Karthik shared that UK fans jokingly complained to broadcasters about Gambhir’s serious demeanor, noting he didn’t smile throughout the recent Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series between India and England.

The exchange added a light-hearted moment to the coverage, highlighting the amusing side of international cricket. While players and coaches are often seen in intense focus on the field, fan observations like these bring a touch of humor to the otherwise competitive environment.

Karthik’s revelation also reflects the passion and attention of cricket fans, who notice even the smallest details. Despite the complaints, Gambhir’s serious demeanor did not affect India’s performance, and the team managed to deliver memorable cricket moments during the series, proving that focus sometimes speaks louder than expressions.

See Also: 'Hope they have communicated’- Former CSK star raises concern over Shreyas Iyer’s Asia Cup 2025 snub

Dinesh Karthik Shared Humorous Anecdote About Gautam Gambhir:

Following Trent Rockets’ seven-wicket win over Manchester Originals at Trent Bridge, Karthik humorously discussed the match with coach Andy Flower. He made a light-hearted remark during the conversation, adding a touch of fun to the post-match discussion, entertaining fans and highlighting the lighter side of cricket beyond the intensity of the game.

He said, “ All of the UK has complained and tweeted about it, written to SKY Sports... Three people over the summer, they haven't found a way to get them to smile... One is Gautam Gambhir, two is Nasser Hussain in the commentary box and the third person is you. Why aren't people able to see you smiling when you wear the coach's hat in that dugout?”

'Three people over the summer, they haven't found a way to get them to smile... Gautam Gambhir, Nasser Hussain and you' 🤣

Never change, DK! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/ORyn8FiNxN

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 19, 2025

Andy Flower, former England head coach and current Trent Rockets mentor in The Hundred, responded to Karthik’s joke with a laugh, enjoying the playful moment and bringing a relaxed, humorous touch to the post-match interaction between players and coaching staff. He said, “ DK, people misunderstand me completely, you know that for sure.” Karthik replied as ex-England pacer Cork burst into laughter. He replied, “ I surely do.”

Karthik and Flower, teammates on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL 2025 support staff, have developed a strong and friendly connection. Their playful exchange highlighted this camaraderie, offering fans insight into their personalities. Former England captain Nasser Hussain also joined the list of ‘serious faces,’ rounding out the trio that amused fans during the English summer.

Gautam Gambhir Balances Intensity with Playful Interactions Off-Field:

Gautam Gambhir, known for his on-field intensity, maintained a stern look during the tense Test series against England. This stern demeanor caught the attention of UK fans, who noticed his unwavering focus during every moment of play. While he appeared stoic on camera, those familiar with the Indian team know that Gambhir has a more playful side off the field.

Behind closed doors, the former opener often engages in light-hearted interactions and friendly banter with players and support staff. However, the intensity and stakes of the India-England series left little opportunity for such moments to be visible publicly. The high-pressure environment required Gambhir to maintain his strict and concentrated approach, reinforcing his reputation as a serious and focused leader during crucial matches.

Suryakumar Yadav is set to be 35 in under a month, and India selectors have begun discussions about the future. The selectors have an eye on rearing the next leader in T20 cricket. Test captain Shubman Gill was named vice-captain for the Asia Cup in the UAE, which starts September 9. 

This was evidently the focus of the meeting, and virtual attendance was had by head coach Gautam Gambhir. The committee, comprising Ajit Agarka,r also agreed unanimously that given Gill's age (he will be 26 next month) and ability to eventually succeed Surya, Gill was a good option as a long-term vice-captain.

Including Gill in the T20 squad for the first time this year also suggests that he will be a member of the playing XI, returning to T20 cricket after a record-setting test series in England (heavy runs scored) to boot, but showcasing leadership qualities during that tour, which caught the eye of the management.

Grooming the next captain

Agarkar clarified that Gill had been in contention for the T20 vice-captaincy all along. "He was the vice captain when we went to Sri Lanka last year. After that, he was occupied with Test cricket," Surya added. Gill had missed India's T20 assignments against South Africa and England due to injury and mental load. Selectors stated that if he had been available, he would have been in the leadership group.

The performances in England made Gill's juxtaposition impossible. The way he coped with pressure, leading from the front, was enough for decision-makers to see a glimmer of hope in Gill being the face of Indian batting in an era after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. “We see leadership qualities in him, and his form in England exceeded expectations. That’s a great sign when there’s so much responsibility on a young captain,” Agarkar said.

ALSO SEE: Key Bangladesh cricketer will miss home series before Asia Cup 2025

Axar overlooked, Jaiswal misses out.

Interestingly, Gill was not the first candidate in early discussions. Some advocated for Axar Patel to keep the vice-captaincy. However, there was a view to invest in a younger player who could potentially provide Indian cricket with at least five years of service.

We have worked out above, the price of that decision is Yashasvi Jaiswal. He played well on the England tour and had an excellent start to his international career, but the left-hander was jettisoned to allow Gill to return to his position at the top. This puts the management in a position to have to re-evaluate the opening combination after the promising series of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.

India's Asia Cup squad

Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Arshdeep Singh, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav.

Standbys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

The omission of Shreyas Iyer from India’s 15-member squad for the Asia Cup 2025 has triggered heated discussions among fans and cricketing circles. Announced on August 19, the squad left out Iyer despite his impressive IPL 2025 campaign, where he led Punjab Kings to the final with consistency and leadership. His absence came as a shock, considering his reputation as one of India’s most reliable middle-order batters. The decision has raised doubts about whether cricketing logic alone drove the call, or if personal dynamics with head coach Gautam Gambhir influenced matters.

Former cricketer Abhishek Nayar openly questioned the selection during a Star Sports panel, suggesting that favoritism may have shaped the choices. He hinted that Iyer might not have been “favoured” in comparison to others. Social media chatter quickly amplified the issue, with fans accusing Gambhir of bias towards players associated with his old IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders. The selections of Harshit Rana and Rinku Singh, despite limited achievements, added fuel to claims of preferential treatment and deepened suspicions about Iyer’s snub.

See Also: Highlights of India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad: Gill, Bumrah return; Shreyas, Yashasvi left out

The debate has highlighted the fine balance between form, talent, and selection politics in Indian cricket. Many believe Iyer’s exclusion is difficult to justify on performance grounds alone, given his IPL contributions and experience at the highest level. His absence not only leaves a gap in India’s middle-order strength but also raises concerns about transparency in squad building. While selectors have defended the call as a tough but necessary decision, the controversy continues to spark debates about whether personal bias overshadowed merit in the final squad announcement.

Sunil Gavaskar suspects rift between Iyer and Gambhir 

Adding to the controversy, legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar weighed in, subtly pointing out that Iyer had been overshadowed during KKR’s IPL 2024 title-winning campaign. Gavaskar hinted that while Iyer captained the side, much of the credit went to Gambhir, sidelining the skipper’s contribution. His remarks suggested that Iyer may have once again suffered from being undervalued despite consistent performances. Gavaskar’s comments intensified speculation about whether Iyer’s exclusion was more than just a tactical decision, giving further weight to the narrative of a rift.

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar defended the decision after Shreyas Iyer snub

Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, however, defended the decision and emphasized the competitiveness of team selection. He clarified that Iyer’s omission should not be seen as a reflection of his talent but rather a result of balancing the squad. Agarkar said, “With respect to Shreyas Iyer… not his fault, but neither ours,” highlighting that tough calls had to be made due to limited squad spots. His explanation portrayed the situation as more of a structural challenge than an intentional sidelining of the batter.

Amidst the storm of accusations, Gautam Gambhir addressed the rumors directly, denying any involvement in Iyer’s exclusion. The head coach firmly distanced himself from the selectors’ decisions, reiterating, “I am not a selector.” He insisted that the squad was picked on merit and team requirements, dismissing claims of bias or personal conflict. While Gambhir’s clarification aimed to cool the controversy, questions continue to linger. With Iyer’s omission remaining one of the most talked-about topics in Indian cricket, the debate over his future in the national setup shows no signs of fading.

Leaving Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad began a fresh controversy. After scoring tons of runs in all three formats, why did the board decide not to pick him for the prestigious tournament, leaving cricket fans clueless.

In the meantime, an old video of Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has started to surface on social media platforms. In the conversation, Gambhir claimed that Yashasvi Jaiswal should play all three formats for Team India and be an automatic choice for the Men in Blue. "I believe Jaiswal must be in India’s T20 team, not just for one tournament but even for the next World Cup….He should be playing for India in all three formats", he said before.

In support of the remarks, Gambhir put some light on the southpaw's domestic career stats, where he scored runs relentlessly. The highly talented batsman, only 23 years old, has already played 23 T20Is for Team India and scored 723 runs in total at an average of 36.15. After making his T20I debut in August 2023, the batter played multiple crucial games for the Men in Blue. Keeping an average around 36 after playing over twenty matches at the highest level proved how talented he is.

Gambhir, before becoming coach, had said: “I believe Jaiswal must be in India’s T20 team, not just for one tournament but even for the next World Cup…..He should be playing for India in all three formats.”

And now, the selectors want him to focus only on Tests. How funny! pic.twitter.com/UNsNMS1QEk

— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) August 19, 2025

Read More: Asia Cup 2025: Out of the blue this team issues warning for India and Pakistan

Why Yashasvi Jaiswal is not in the Asia Cup 2025 team?

Jaiswal's first-class stats are more attractive than his international stats. The Uttar Pradesh native has multiple domestic cricket double hundreds under his belt, including his highest individual innings of 265 runs. The video was probably shot before Gambhir's job as Team India's head coach.

 Now, when India is playing under his coaching, cricket fans are wondering why the team management did not include Yashasvi for the Asia Cup 2025 team. "Yashasvi missed out. It is hard on him, but it was between him and Abhishek Sharma, who has done well for India in the T20Is", chief selector Ajit Agarkar said. 

The 33-year-old Indian leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy is now India's no.1 T20I bowler, while he made his international comeback last year after missing the Indian jersey for almost three years. Recently, he revealed who motivated him during his tough time, which inspired him to make his international comeback. 

After recording only two wickets in his first six T20Is, Varun Chakravarthy missed international cricket for almost three years before making his comeback during the home T20I series against Bangladesh last October, where he finished as the joint leading wicket-taker with five wickets. Then, he bagged 12 wickets in the four-match T20I series in South Africa, including one five-wicket haul, the most wickets by an Indian in a bilateral T20I series. However, he broke that series record in the next T20I series against England at home by picking up 14 wickets in five matches, including one fifer.  

While India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 by winning all matches of the tournament, Varun Chakravarthy made his ODI debut just before that tournament and finished the Champions Trophy as the joint second most wicket-taker in the tournament with nine wickets in just three games. The leg-spinner is currently the fourth-ranked T20I bowler, who was not even in the Indian team a year ago. 

See Also: BCCI has decided to conduct a Press Conference to announce Asia Cup 2025 squad

Gauti Bhai also has helped me a lot in my comeback: Varun Chakravarthy

For his international cricket comeback, Varun credited the Indian Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. While he wasn't in contention, Gambhir supported him, which helped him regain his confidence.

Varun recently told RevSportz, "Similarly, Gauti Bhai also has helped me a lot in my comeback, the way he motivates me. Even if we talk little, he has always given me good confidence and he has always told that "no matter who's going to ignore you, I will keep you in my plans for now". So, that kind of gave me confidence. And if you ask about Gauti Bhai as a mentor, then I would say he brings in a warrior mindset in the dressing room, which is very important and has worked for us at KKR and in the Champions Trophy."

Varun's luck changed with his IPL 2024 performance. While his team Kolkata Knight Riders won the title under the mentorship of Gautam Gambhir, Varun was the second leading wicket-taker in that season with 21 wickets. Although he missed the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, he then made his international comeback and set an inspirational story. 

Varun Chakravarthy about the skipper Suryakumar Yadav

Varun also praised the present Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, as he said that Yadav was similar to India's last T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma. 

Varun said, "You give everything you have and it does not matter whether you win or you lose. And about Surya, he is someone very similar to Rohit Sharma - that is what I've seen. He is a very tactically sound, and maybe his time at MI Mumbai Indians has given him good exposure to great captains. He is a very good guy and never puts pressure on the bowlers. It would be a bowler's delight to have a captain like him."

Under Gautam Gambhir, India have done an excellent job in the white-ball assignments. They won their T20I series in Sri Lanka and at home against England earlier this year before lifting the title during the Champions Trophy 2025, where they beat New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. 

However, there are questions over his coaching skills in the longest format of the game. They faced their maiden Test series whitewash by 0-3 against New Zealand before losing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia down under by 3-1. They drew the away England series 2-2, but some of his decisions regarding the team selections were debatable.

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Meanwhile, India’s veteran batter, Cheteshwar Pujara, has picked the legendary and former all-rounder of the Blue Brigade, Ravichandran Ashwin, as India’s coach for the future. The Chennai-born is known for his various skills and knowledge of the game in both the batting and bowling departments. He hung up his international cricket after the end of the third Gabba Test in BGT 2024-25.

Cheteshwar Pujara picks Ravichandran Ashwin as India’s new head coach

Ashwin retired from the longest format as India’s second leading wicket-taker. The off-spinner picked up 537 wickets in 200 innings at an average of 24 and a strike rate of 50.73 with an economy rate of 2.83, thanks to 37 five-wicket hauls and eight ten-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 7/59 in an inning.

Ashwin, due to his decent performance with the ball in the white-ball formats, ended as the second leading wicket-taker with 765 scalps in 379 innings at an average of just under 26 and a strike rate of 45.75, with 37 fifers and eight ten-wicket hauls at the best figures of 7/59.

Pujara also claimed that Virat Kohli would finish with all the records in the future. The former Indian captain hasn’t been in action since the end of the IPL 2025 for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It’s expected that he would return to the Indian colors during their upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under in late autumn.