"Gautam Gambhir Did Not Look At Me Once": India Coach 'Never Forgave' Former BCCI Chief Selector, Ex-Star Reveals Why
Former BCCI chief selector Sandeep Patil stated that his relationship with Gautam Gambhir took a turn for the worse after the latter was dropped from the Indian team in 2013.
- Former BCCI chief selector Sandeep Patil spoke on the frosty relationship between him and Gautam Gambhir
- Patil said that their relationship turned sour after Gambhir was dropped from the Indian team in 2013
- "We have sat on the same television shows. He has never once looked at me. There is no response," Patil said
Gautam Gambhir's aggressive attitude on the cricket field has won him both admiration and disapproval, as well as success as player and coach. Gambhir recently became the first coach to win two ICC trophies for India. As a player, he top-scored for India in the finals of the T20 World Cup 2007 and Cricket World Cup 2011, both of which India won. However, his playing career had come to an unceremonious halt in 2013, just two years after his match-winning 97 in the 2011 final. Sandeep Patil, who was the chairman of the BCCI selection committee at the time, has revealed how his relationship with Gambhir turned frosty after the latter was dropped.
In 2013, Gambhir had been dropped from India's Test and ODI squads in favour of Shikhar Dhawan. However, according to Patil, Gambhir did not take the decision well.
Patil revealed that Gambhir does not even look at him, even when the two share the same space.
"We have sat on the same television shows. Gauti is there, I am there. He has never once looked at me. Not a glance. Every time I say hello, there is no response," Patil revealed in an interview with Vickey Lalwani.
The two used to share a close bond prior to the incident, with Gambhir even calling to check on Patil after the latter had been removed as India coach some years earlier. However, Gambhir's dropping from the Indian team led to a massive decline in their relationship.
Patil did say that he still holds Gambhir in high regard despite the status of their relationship at present.
"He doesn't forget and he doesn't forgive. That's fine. I still respect him. I still like him," Patil stated.
Gambhir's last ODI and T20I for India came in 2013 and 2012 respectively. He made a brief comeback into the Test side in late 2016.
Patil, meanwhile, completed a four-year stint as chairman of the BCCI selection committee, between 2012 and 2016.
Gautam Gambhir
India Cricket Team