Gautam Gambhir responded sharply to Sunil Gavaskar’s dig about sharing Champions Trophy prize money like Rahul Dravid did.
The discussion over India’s Champions Trophy prize money took a thoughtful turn when former captain Sunil Gavaskar raised a subtle but pointed question in one of his recent columns. He wondered whether head coach Gautam Gambhir would follow the example set by Rahul Dravid, who had shared his T20 World Cup winnings equally with the support staff — an act that reflected Dravid’s consistent emphasis on teamwork and humility.
While Dravid’s gesture had set a benchmark for collective recognition, Gambhir has so far chosen not to publicly disclose his stance. Gavaskar’s remark — implied rather than accusatory — posed the quiet question: Does that example no longer matter?
Gambhir, however, didn’t let the suggestion pass. Without naming Gavaskar directly, he responded firmly: “I don’t owe any explanation to anyone as to whether I have given money or not… Those living in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones at others.” The message was clear — Gambhir views the matter as private and not up for public debate.
Offering a broader perspective, former women’s team coach Purnima Rau said, “It is up to the individual. If someone wants to share the prize money, so be it. If they want to keep it, so be it. It’s their money. Why should we interfere?” With a laugh, she added, “When I was coach, we were never given any prize money.”
Former coach WV Raman echoed her view: “These things are decided by the team.”
Tushar Arothe, another former coach, noted, “As far as I know, the prize money is usually given to players, not to the coach or support staff.”
Cooked up stories
Gambhir dismissed speculation about his equation with Rohit Sharma, saying, “Two months ago, a coach and captain won a Champions Trophy together. Who are these people making such claims? These are stories cooked up by so-called experts and YouTube commentators.” In a telling remark, he alluded to power structures in commentary: “People have sat in the commentary box for 25 years and act like Indian cricket is their personal fiefdom.”
Despite the ongoing prize money debate, Gambhir remains unswayed by public opinion or commentary-room expectations.
