'Tu baahar mil' - Manoj Tiwary recalls verbal spat with 'immature' Gautam Gambhir

Veteran batter Manoj Tiwary announced his retirement from professional cricket after Bengal’s final Ranji Trophy league game against Bihar this season. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) felicitated him for his contribution over the years and soon after that, the 38-year-old expressed his sorrow of not making it big in international cricket. He questioned MS Dhoni for dropping him from the playing XI even after scroring a century against West Indies and now, he took a dig at Gautam Gambhir and called out his "immature" behaviour during their verbal fight in 2015.

Also read: Manoj Tiwary questions MS Dhoni for dropping him after his century against West Indies in 2011

Recalling his ugly on-field quarrel with Gambhir during a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Bengal, Tiwary expressed that the verbal altercation remains one of the biggest regrets of his career. Notably, Tiwary came out to bat with a cap on but quickly realised that pacer Sumit Narwal was preparing to bowl. He immediately called for a helmet, which delayed the proceedings. However, it infuriated Gambhir, who was standing at first slip and an ugly spat between the two players followed.

“The fight I had with Gambhir that day is the only regret I have because people who know me will tell you that I am not that sort of a person who goes out there and quarrels with seniors. It is one of those memories that I could have avoided. I have a good relationship with my seniors, but due to one incident, it spoilt my image,” Tiwary told Sports Now.

Also read: CAB felicitates Manoj Tiwary for illustrious career

“That is why I said it is my biggest regret because we were very close at one point in time. While playing for KKR, we used to have a lot of discussions and brainstorm over who to pick in Kolkata. The relationship was such that we used to go into details and inputs. But things did not pan out the way that they should have,” he added.

The former cricketer also added that Gambhir threatened him to meet outside the ground as he added that it was "immature" from the former KKR captain to say such things.

“Yeah (laughs), and that was very immature of him to say that. In Kotla, the journalist’s tent is inside the ground, and everyone hears each and every word present there. But with my physical attributes compared to his, kise pata kaun shaam ko milta (who knows who would have met whom),” Tiwary added.