Gautam Gambhir, once hailed as one of the fiercest voices demanding a complete cricketing boycott of Pakistan, now finds himself at the center of a storm of hypocrisy. The former BJP MP and current head coach of Team India has quietly abandoned the hardline stance he championed for years, all because he now sits in the dugout with responsibility for results.
From Hardline Patriot to Silent Spectator
For years, Gautam Gambhir thundered on television and social media, insisting India should not play Pakistan until cross-border terrorism ceased. After the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, his words were clear: “Either you ban everything with Pakistan or open everything with Pakistan. No middle ground.”
He even cited England’s decision to forfeit a World Cup match against Zimbabwe in 2003, calling on India to show the same moral courage even if it cost them crucial points or a place in the knockout stages.
Asia Cup 2025 and Operation Sindoor
Fast forward to September 2025. India will face Pakistan in the Asia Cup despite the horrific Pahalgam massacre in April and Operation Sindoor in May, where Indian forces struck militant camps across the border. Public anger has been boiling, with fans and veterans calling for no engagement in sport or business with Pakistan.
The India Champions team even refused to play Pakistan twice in the World Championship of Legends earlier this year. Yet, the senior men’s team, under Gautam Gambhir’s watch, is ready to take the field.
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And Gautam Gambhir, the same man who once said India should forfeit matches rather than play Pakistan, now meekly toes the line, preaching “focus on the game” while fans seethe.
@GautamGambhir Where is your faith & integrity now? You always spoke against Pakistan & stood with martyrs’ families. As Head Coach, you can refuse to play them or step down on principle. Where is that stand today when India needs it most? #NoCricketWithTerror pic.twitter.com/EWgH2rr960
— Sankalp agrawal (@Sankalpgkp) September 13, 2025
Manoj Tiwary Calls Him Out:
Former India cricketer turned TMC politician Manoj Tiwary minced no words, branding Gautam Gambhir a hypocrite.
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“He’s the one who said India and Pakistan should never play. What will he do now? He’s the coach of the team that’s playing Pakistan. Why can’t he just resign?”
Tiwary also dragged up another example of Gambhir’s double-speak. A viral video shows Gautam Gambhir, before becoming head coach, passionately defending Yashasvi Jaiswal as a must-have in India’s T20 plans. Yet, Jaiswal has been dropped from the Asia Cup squad. For Tiwary, this was yet another case of Gambhir doing the exact opposite of what he once declared.
Gautam Gambhir – "India shouldn't play against Pakistan even in ICC events."
This was his stand 4 months ago. Let’s see if he has the guts to stick to his words and boycott the India vs Pakistan match tomorrow , Interesting times ahead 🤣❤️
pic.twitter.com/qu8n8r0wLq— 𝐉𝐨𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 (@jod_insane) September 13, 2025
Words vs Actions of GG:
This repeated flip-flopping exposes Gambhir for what many now believe he is. A man who says one thing when it suits his political ambitions and does another when his career is on the line.
Patriotism in press conferences, pragmatism in practice. That is the Gambhir way. Sadly, it leaves fans wondering: when push comes to shove, does Gambhir stand for India, or just for himself?
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