Ex-selector says Gautam Gambhir ignores him completely, recalls Dhoni-era fallout

Former chief selector Sandeep Patil reveals Gautam Gambhir has refused to speak to him since being dropped in 2013, recalling a long-standing rift that began during MS Dhoni's captaincy tenure.

Former BCCI Chairman of Selectors Sandeep Patil has opened up about the fractured relationship between himself and current India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Speaking on the Vickey Lalwani Show this week, Patil detailed how Gambhir has refused to speak to him, or even acknowledge his presence, since he was dropped from the national side more than a decade ago.

The fallout stems from the 2013 home series against Australia, when Sandeep Patil's selection committee made the seismic decision to drop Gambhir in favour of a rising Shikhar Dhawan. While Dhawan's debut was iconic, a blistering 187 in Mohali, it signalled the beginning of the end for one of India's most decorated openers.

According to Patil, the two once shared a deep bond. "He was very dear to me," Patil remarked. "We played tennis together on tours, and when I was removed as coach years earlier, Gauti would call me every two weeks to check in."

However, that warmth evaporated the moment Gambhir was shown the exit door. Patil revealed that despite sharing the same studio space for various television shows on national news channels, the silence remains absolute.

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"Gambhir is still upset. He has never spoken to me. We have come together on so many different shows. We've sat in the same room, but Gautam has never even looked at me. It's fine. Every time I reached out to him or said 'hello', he has never responded. Not even a glance. But that's fair enough," Patil said.