Recently, Gautam Gambhir has been at the center of a heated controversy after former cricketer Manoj Tiwary made strong remarks about his leadership and public image. In the wake of these comments, several players have come forward to show their support for Gambhir, with Nitish Rana being one of the first to defend him. Following this, Harshit Rana, another member of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad under Gambhir's coaching in IPL 2024, also stepped up to express his support.

Read Also: Manoj Tiwary Slams Gautam Gambhir: Calls Him a Hypocrite and Questions His Leadership

Harshit, who played under Gambhir’s coaching during last year's IPL and the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, took to social media to back the former cricketer. He shared his thoughts by uploading an Instagram story in which he addressed the criticism, emphasizing that criticizing someone due to personal insecurities was unfair and wrong. Harshit highlighted Gambhir's selfless leadership and the support he consistently provided to his players, especially during tough times, and always gave them the limelight when things were going well.

Harshit highlighted Gambhir’s selfless leadership, noting how he always focused on the players' well-being and their success on the field. Harshit added that Gambhir consistently supported his players, especially when they were going through tough times, and always gave them the limelight when things were going well. He further expressed that Gambhir had immense knowledge of how to turn games in favor of the team, demonstrating strategic brilliance as a coach.

Nitish Rana, another former KKR player, also expressed his support for Gambhir, defending him against the criticism. He took to Twitter, suggesting that Tiwary’s comments were rooted in personal insecurities and reaffirmed Gambhir’s qualities as a selfless and effective leader. Rana highlighted Gambhir’s consistent ability to motivate and support his players, reinforcing the idea that Gambhir’s leadership was both genuine and impactful.

Criticism should be based on facts not personal insecurities. Gauti bhaiyya is one of the most selfless players I’ve ever met. He shoulders responsibility in times of distress like no other. Performance doesn’t need any PR. The trophies speak for themselves.

— Nitish Rana (@NitishRana_27) January 9, 2025

The controversy began when Manoj Tiwary criticized Gambhir for allegedly taking all the credit for KKR’s 2012 IPL win. Tiwary suggested that Gambhir’s public image overshadowed the contributions of other key players, including himself, Jacques Kallis, and Sunil Narine. He also raised concerns about Gambhir’s leadership during his coaching tenure with the Indian team. Tiwary’s comments, which gained attention after being aired in a viral interview, sparked a wave of debate in the cricketing community.