Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has slammed cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad’s criticism of the team’s temple visit with the T20 World Cup trophy as well. Azad also criticised the Indian team, Gambhir, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah for visiting the Hanuman Temple in Ahmedabad soon after India defeat New Zealand in the final to win the trophy. Gambhir also slammed at Azad, saying that such comments “degrade his own team and players, which should not be done.”
However, India’s triumphant T20 World Cup squad, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir, visited a Hanuman temple in Ahmedabad to offer prayers with the trophy. The gesture led criticism from 1983 World Cup winner and Trinamool Congress MP Kirti Azad, who questioned why the trophy was taken only to a temple and not to other places as well.
“It is not even worth answering this question. Answering that question, it is a big moment for the entire country. If you ask me, then it’s a huge moment for our whole country. I think it’s important that we celebrate the World Cup winner. That’s why I said certain statements; there is no point picking up certain statements, because these statements will only dilute your achievement. If you want to dilute the achievements of those 15 players and their efforts, then tomorrow anyone can give any statement, and we start taking it seriously, which isn’t fair to the boys,” Gambhir said during a chat with ANI.
He also stated that players should be allowed to celebrate in their own way without political or religious interference as well.
“Imagine that the boys have gone through so much — the amount of pressure they’ve been under after losing one match in South Africa, the kind of pressures the boys were under. Today, if you are giving such a statement, you’re literally degrading your own players and degrading your own team, which should not be done,” he further added.
Gautam Gambhir also maintained that the focus should remain on the achievement of winning Team India’s third T20 World Cup title, and not on how they celebrate.
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