"To run your YouTube channel...": Gautam Gambhir attacks R Ashwin, Kris Srikkanth for criticizing Harshit Rana’s selection

India National Cricket Team head coach Gautam Gambhir is known for being a very bold, blunt, and angry man, and he always defends his players to the fullest by being on the frontline.

This time Gautam Gambhir has blasted the critics for questioning the selection of the Delhi and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Harshit Rana in the Indian team across all three formats of the game.

What did Ravichandran Ashwin and Kris Srikkanth say?

The 23-year-old Harshit Rana has been a subject of heavy online trolling since he became an all-format player for India. Looking at his talent and ability both with bat and ball, the selection committee has picked him in the Indian team across formats.

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This hasn't gone down well with some fans and former cricketers, who have linked Harshit Rana's selection to Gautam Gambhir's connection with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Recently, the 1983 World Cup winner Kris Srikkanth brutally trolled Rana on his official YouTube channel, saying that he would always be the second name on the team sheet after Shubman Gill because he is Gautam Gambhir's favorite.

Srikkanth also labeled Rana as a yes-man of Gambhir and stated that he is only being selected because of the favoritism, while the rest of the players get ignored despite good performances.

Meanwhile, Ravichandran Ashwin also raised some tough questions over Harshit Rana becoming an all-format player. Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Ashwin admitted that he isn't clear about the logic behind Rana's selection and expressed his desire to be a part of the BCCI selection meeting to learn about the thought process of Ajit Agarkar & Co.

However, Ashwin also acknowledged that Rana possesses a great ability, and he definitely brings some X-factor to the table that might have impressed the selection committee.

Look, it's a little shameful and I will be very honest with you. If you are criticizing 23-year-olds - Gautam Gambhir

Gambhir addressed the criticism from Kris Srikkanth and Ravichandran Ashwin on Harshit Rana while speaking to the media after the end of the India vs West Indies Test series.

The Indian head coach brutally slammed the former cricketers for becoming trolls to run their YouTube channel and said that such things affect a young cricketer.

"Look, it's a little shameful and I will be very honest with you. If you are criticizing 23-year-olds to run your YouTube channel, that is unfair. His father is not an ex-chairman, or ex-cricketer or an NRI. He has played cricket on his own merit and he will continue to do so. Targeting individuals is not fair. Target people on their performance, and selectors are there for that job. If you say horrible things about a 23-year-old on social media, what does that do to his mindset?" Gautam Gambhir said in Delhi on Tuesday, October 14.

If your kid plays cricket tomorrow, imagine a scenario where he gets abused - Gautam Gambhir

Continuing his brutal attack, Gautam Gambhir stated that former cricketers have a moral responsibility towards Indian cricket, and they shouldn't spit venom to run their YouTube channel. He said:

"If your kid plays cricket tomorrow, imagine a scenario where he gets abused. He is a 23-year-old kid, and not 33. Criticise me, I can handle it, but he is a 23-year-old boy, so that is something not acceptable. There should be a moral responsibility towards Indian cricket and you should not do these things to help run your YouTube channel. This is not only in Harshit's case, this is for others in future also."

Also Read: Gautam Gambhir speaks on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's chances for 2027 World Cup; BCCI ALARMED