'Gautam Gambhir will try to harm you if you don't fall in line': Former India cricketer

India cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir has his "ego on a different level," and that is why "he is confronting" Virat Kohli, a former Indian cricketer from Delhi, has claimed. Kohli took a surprise retirement from Tests last year under Gambhir's tenure. There have also been reports that Rohit Sharma was forced out of the team by Gambhir.

Kohli and Rohit's ODI future also remains uncertain as reports suggest that the senior cricketers do not enjoy a good relationship with Gambhir. India's Test performance has also suffered under Gambhir, with the team suffering two home Test series losses.

'Gamnhir is confronting Kohli'

Meanwhile, former India pacer and Delhi selector Atul Wassan, who has had issues with Gambhir in the past, has accused Gambhir of bullying other players and trying to pick fights. Wassan said that the 'us vs them' attitude has helped Gambhir become the successful cricketer that he was, but now that he has retired, there's a need for him to change his demeanour.

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"I have known him personally since he was a child. I have had my issues with him. With him, it's about my way or the highway. He is like that, and he would bully a lot, even in Delhi cricket. His nature is only like that. From the start, he was from money, that nature only, an excellent player, and he is intelligent. His ego is on a different level. He thinks that if he says it's night when it's morning, it will be believed to be night. Fall in line. If you don't fall in line, you are on my hit list. He will try to harm you, but he has achieved a lot in cricket, and his nature helped him in cricket," Wassan said on Vickey Lalwani's YouTube show.

"The player he became is because of his nature. He couldn't give his best unless he fights. He probably goes and fights with the glass in his home. He likes putting him in the mood. But he doesn't retire; he needs to get off this horse. He thinks this still drives him. That's why he is confronting Kohli: over-aggressiveness and an alpha-male kind of personality from Delhi. He has lost and has also won also.

"His report card has blemishes. The home series, which we lost, 2-3."

'India players unhappy under Gambhir'

Wassan also claimed that a couple of Team India players are unhappy with Gambhir.

"I am sure that all the players cannot be in a happy place. Somebody will be sleeping on needles; this happens. Personal likes and dislikes, and that too with such a strong personality. With personal likes and dislikes, and leading them with a stick, if you keep on winning, then it's fine. But if you lose, then you need to listen to criticism," he added.

"I know 1-2 of them; they won't say it openly. I can't say their names in this show. Everyone knows what's happening. But after sidelining those 2-4 players, if you win, then it's your world. It's a team sport; nobody will listen to the player. If the coach wins even after all this, then the coach is right, and the player is wrong."