Sanjay Manjrekar rallies behind Gautam Gambhir despite India’s ODI series loss against New Zealand

In a move that has sparked intense debate across the Indian cricket landscape, veteran commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has stepped forward to defend head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill following India’s 2-1 ODI series defeat to New Zealand. The loss, finalized on January 18, 2026, at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, marked the first time the Blackcaps have ever secured an ODI series victory on Indian soil, a result that many fans viewed as a significant blow to the team’s prestige.

Despite the hullabaloo surrounding the defeat, Manjrekar took to his official Instagram account to offer a counter-narrative, urging the fraternity to maintain perspective. His defense rests on a philosophy that prioritizes pinnacle global events over the noise of bilateral contests.

Sanjay Manjrekar defends Gautam Gambhir with a striking World Cup remark

Manjrekar’s primary argument is that in the modern era of the sport, the 50-over World Cup is the only metric of true success. He went as far as to diminish the value of other prestigious trophies, including the Champions Trophy.

“Honestly, in 50-over cricket today, what really matters are the World Cups and not even the Champions Trophy,” Manjrekar stated. He challenged fans to recall recent Champions Trophy winners, suggesting they fade from memory while World Cup champions remain immortalized.

By labeling bilateral series as glorified “warm-up games,” Manjrekar aims to shield Gambhir from the mounting scrutiny. Under Gambhir’s tenure, the team has faced a string of inconsistent results in the ODI format, leading to questions about tactical rigidity and squad experimentation.

However, Manjrekar believes that a setback now is actually beneficial. “If you want to have your setbacks and poor performances, get it out of the system now, in time for the next World Cup,” he explained.

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Transitioning focus to the T20 World Cup defense

The timing of this defence is crucial as the Indian team pivots immediately to the shortest format. On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, a Suryakumar Yadav-led India begins a five-match T20I series against the same New Zealand side. For Gambhir and the selection committee, these matches represent the final laboratory before India begins the defense of their T20 World Cup title on home soil in February.

While the ODI loss to New Zealand highlighted vulnerabilities in the middle order—despite a valiant 124 from Virat Kohli in the final game—Manjrekar insists that current form is not always a precursor to World Cup success. He urged fans to allow the management the space to experiment with squad combinations without the “outside noise” of bilateral results. For Gambhir, Manjrekar’s support provides a necessary buffer against the critics as the team looks to find its rhythm before the global stage takes center stage.

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