The tiff between Gautam Gambhir and Manoj Tiwary dates to 2015, when the two collided on the field during a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Bengal at the Arun Jaitley Stadium (then Feroz Shah Kotla). Things turned ugly as the two former India and Kolkata Knight Riders teammates nearly came to blow in the centre of the pitch, both hurling nasty comments at each other. Ever since, Gambhir and Tiwary's relationship has been anything but cordial. Even after 10 years, Tiwary, taking aims at Gambhir, criticised him, his coaching, his nature, and recalling how the India head coach threatened him during their time together at KKR.
However, what many aren't aware of is that Gambhir even went after former India captain and BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. In fact, as Tiwary narrates, Gambhir ridiculed Ganguly while he was having a go at Tiwary. Tiwary, who is known to share a close bond with Ganguly, relayed Gambhir's remarks to Dada. And true to his gentlemanly nature, Ganguly responded with characteristic class and composure.
"When he was constantly abusing, I remember Sourav Ganguly had just joined CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal). He was speaking rubbish about him too. He said things like 'Woh apna jack laga ke aa gaya. Tu bhi uske peeche aa gaya? Tu bhi yeh sab karke pohuch gaya. (He used his sources to reach where he has, and you too followed him? You're up to such shenanigans too)'. When I told Dada, he said 'theek hai' (It's fine). My duty was to convey it to him. You can see that he [Gambhir] has anger issue. After that day, there's no scope of us talking or meeting," Tiwary said on The Lallantop in an interview.
Gambhir told me 'bahar mil… batata hu'
The incident arose from Gambhir's assumption that Tiwary was intentionally delaying the game with just 40 minutes left in the match. Without hesitation, Gambhir launched into a tirade of verbal abuses, which did not sit well with the Bengal batter. Tiwary further claims that Gambhir challenged him to a fight after the match, escalating the situation to a point where their relationship was never the same again.
{{/usCountry}}The incident arose from Gambhir's assumption that Tiwary was intentionally delaying the game with just 40 minutes left in the match. Without hesitation, Gambhir launched into a tirade of verbal abuses, which did not sit well with the Bengal batter. Tiwary further claims that Gambhir challenged him to a fight after the match, escalating the situation to a point where their relationship was never the same again.
{{/usCountry}}"I have never heard anybody give such abuses. If anybody abuses your mother, you should not take it lying down. I am not a person who can handle abuses quietly. I asked him, 'Gauti bhai, why are you talking like this?'. Then the over got over. Then I lost cool. He said, 'meet me in the evening, I will thrash you'. I said, 'why evening? let's do it now.' The match was in Delhi. No player ever talked to me in that way. All media persons present heard all the words that came out from his mouth," Tiwary added.
"The umpire came in between and he pushed away him too. Then the over ended and I was at the non-striker's end. He came to mid-off and started abusing me again. Umpires can't do much. He is a big player, and they are afraid that he can use his influence against them."