Shashi Tharoor Praises Gautam Gambhir: Shashi Tharoor has come out in support of Gautam Gambhir, who is facing criticism following India's ODI loss against New Zealand. Tharoor described Gambhir as the hardest-working man in India after the Prime Minister. Tharoor's comments come at a time when Gambhir is facing public anger following India's first home ODI series loss against New Zealand.

Shashi Tharoor Praises Gautam Gambhir: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has heaped praise on Indian cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir. He described Gambhir as the hardest-working man in India after the Prime Minister. Shashi Tharoor's praise comes at a time when Gambhir has been facing criticism for losing the ODI series to New Zealand. Gautam Gambhir's coaching is also being questioned.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor said that Gautam Gambhir is bombarded with questions by millions of people every day, but he remains calm and moves forward without fear. He wrote on Instagram before the first T20 match between India and New Zealand, "Enjoyed a good and open conversation in Nagpur with my old friend @GautamGambhir, who holds the toughest job in India after the Prime Minister. He is bombarded with questions by millions of people every day, but he remains calm and moves forward without fear. In a word, admiration for his quiet determination and able leadership. Best wishes to him. Let's start today!"

In Nagpur, enjoyed a good &frank discussion with my old friend @GautamGambhir, the man with the hardest job in India after the PM’s! He is being second-guessed by millions daily but stays calm &walks on undaunted. A word of appreciation for his quiet determination and able… pic.twitter.com/LOHPygVV0E

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 21, 2026

Shashi Tharoor's comments came at a time when Gambhir is facing public anger following India's first home ODI series defeat against New Zealand. After winning the first match, India lost the second and third ODIs, losing the series. This is India's second home series defeat against the Kiwis in recent times. Previously, in 2024, New Zealand had whitewashed India 3-0 in a Test series.

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Gambhir's hooting

Following the loss in the third ODI at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, some fans even chanted slogans against Gautam Gambhir during the post-match presentation. Social media has also seen outrage and criticism regarding the team's performance and the management of the senior players.

How did the first T20 match play out?
India won the first T20 International against New Zealand by 48 runs on Wednesday, thanks to a blazing 84 off 35 balls from opener Abhishek Sharma. This gave India a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. Abhishek, who holds the top spot in the T20 International rankings, showed no mercy to the New Zealand bowlers, thrashing them, hitting eight sixes and five fours in his innings. Rinku Singh eventually scored an unbeaten 44 off 20 balls, helping India post a mammoth total of 238 for seven. Chasing this target, New Zealand lost two wickets for one run. Despite a half-century from Glenn Phillips (78), the team could only manage 190 for seven in 20 overs.

PC:News18