'Don’t pick up so many fights': Gautam Gambhir warned after 'unnecessary' charge at Parth Jindal in Vizag presser

Gautam Gambhir blasted Parth Jindal over his post on split coaching, prompting Aakash Chopra to caution him

After Gautam Gambhir came out blazing in the press conference last Saturday, charging at Delhi Capitals co-owner Parth Jindal for his recent social media post against him, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra warned his old Delhi teammate against making such comments to the media.

Aakash Chopra felt Gautam Gambhir's jibe at Parth Jindal was unnecessary

In the wake of India's second home Test series whitewash in the last 12 months, following a defeat to South Africa in November, Jindal joined the social media bandwagon, urging the BCCI to consider split coaching and hire a specialist for the red-ball format. Jindal had posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, after India lost the second Test match against the Proteas in Guwahati by 408 runs.

However, the social media post did not sit well with Gambhir as he hit back in the press conference after India beat South Africa in the ODI series. “People said things that have nothing to do with cricket. An IPL team owner also wrote about split coaching. It’s important for people to stay in their domain. Because if we don’t go into someone’s domain, they also don’t have the right to come into our domain,” Gambhir had said.

Chopra felt Gambhir should tone down his reactions in press conferences, warning that such fiery remarks could invite criticism in the future if India slip up again.

“Gautam came and he was very fiery. You expect that with Gautam. When he comes to press conferences, he speaks his heart out. I have a suggestion for Gautam. When you come so fiery, and when you go after an individual or something, people then start waiting for Gautam to fail. At times, it seems like you are setting yourself up for this kind of criticism,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“It cannot be his (Gambhir’s) mistake only when the team loses. One thing is certain with Gautam. His heart is at the right place, and he is a very passionate guy. He is always ready to fight for the country and the country’s team. My only suggestion is don’t fight. You have to please nobody. Don’t pick up so many fights,” he added.

Chopra, however, felt Gambhir’s swipe at an IPL owner’s remark on India’s Test defeats was unnecessary.

“He said if you don’t have the domain expertise, don’t talk about it. I felt it was slightly unnecessary. However, sometimes we fail to understand the undercurrents behind it. I am not trying to defend him. However, at times, you feel bad about someone because you know that guy’s opinion about you had been different earlier as well, so let me just fire it back,” he added.

“That might have been the case with that one person. Otherwise, I don’t think there is merit in this argument that you don’t need to speak about something if you are not the domain expert. Just like the incredible thing Indigo has done. I am not an aviation expert, but I can talk. I don’t think someone doesn’t have a moral right to talk. However, that one thing might have had a slightly deeper, bigger meaning,” Chopra remarked.