Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has come out in support of head coach Gautam Gambhir after he faced heavy criticism over the team’s batting order in the first T20I against New Zealand at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Thursday (October 22).

Pathan revealed that Ishan Kishan was dealing with a niggle, and that’s why the wicketkeeper-batter was demoted into the batting order in the five-match T2I series opener against the Black Caps. Earlier, Sitanshu Kotak takes aim at fans and experts demanding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India selection.

Gautam Gambhir faced massive backlash after Tilak Varma batted ahead of Ishan Kishan

Gautam Gambhir was trolled heavily after India sent Tilak Varma to bat at No. 3 instead of Ishan Kishan following the dismissal of Abhishek Sharma during the successful run chase in Christchurch.

Tilak struggled against the New Zealand spinners and managed only six runs off 11 balls before losing his wicket. Kishan also failed to make an impact after coming in later, scoring just one run. India's chase then became tense, and the unexpected batting order change came under the scanner.

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Murali Kartik also criticised the decision on Facebook, suggesting that Gambhir's approach gave him too much control over the team. Many fans accused the head coach of making unnecessary experiments instead of sticking to a settled batting order.

The controversy took an ugly turn on social media, with some users bringing regional bias into the debate. They alleged that Kishan was being sidelined to favor Tilak, with fans questioning why the Hyderabad star was sent ahead of an established and in-form attacking batter.

Irfan Pathan slams Gautam Gambhir’s critics over Ishan Kishan-Tilak Varma controversy

Amid the growing criticism, Irfan Pathan came out to defend Gautam Gambhir. He explained that Kishan had a niggle during the match, which was why he did not come out to bat at his position.

Pathan posted on X (formerly Twitter) after India took a 1-0 lead in the T20I series in New Zealand: “So, Ishan Kishan had a niggle during the first T20, which is why he batted lower down the order.”

Irfan Pathan calls out social media trolls for targeting Gautam Gambhir

The former World Cup winner also slammed the critics for being so quick to blame Gautam Gambhir without knowing the reason behind the decision. He urged fans and critics not to jump to conclusions based on what they see during a match.

The former all-rounder further highlighted how the race for social media views and engagement can lead people to judge others without knowing the complete story. He stressed the need to understand the facts before making strong accusations.

Pathan added, "But everyone was quick to go after @GautamGambhir for changing the batting order. Criticizing him has become everyone’s favorite timepass these days. Please, please wait a bit before passing judgment."

"Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing the full story. And this applies to everything in life. In the rush to get “views” and “numbers” on social media, you might end up hurting someone without even knowing the full story. Think before you judge."

So, Ishan Kishan had a niggle during the first T20, which is why he batted lower down the order. But everyone was quick to go after @GautamGambhir for changing the batting order. Criticising him has become everyone’s favourite timepass these days. Please, please wait a bit before passing judgment. Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing the full story. And this applies to everything in life. In the rush to get “views” and “numbers” on social media, you might end up hurting someone without even knowing the full story. Think before you judge.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) October 23, 2026