Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary has explosive revelations regarding the role of PR teams that shape the careers of cricketers, claiming that a PR team presence could have catapulted him higher in his career and possibly even as India captain. Manoj, known to make sharp observations, discussed further how PR can boost the image of under-performing players and diminish the impact of consistently performing ones.
In an interview with The Lallantop, Tiwary stated that the absence of a PR team must have affected his career while also adding that had he received correct media handling during that time, he would have been projected more positively-even while leading the Indian cricket team. “I don’t have a PR team. If I did have one, perhaps I could’ve become India captain one day,” Tiwary candidly revealed.
PR as a Career Enhancer
Tiwary went further to say that the modern cricket and other sports have become mostly driven by PR. He explained that the image of a cricketer can be significantly enhanced through consistent promotion, even when the performances are inconsistent. “It is a total PR game. If you perform in one match but fail in three, they (good PR) keep boosting that one decent performance.”. There are always four or five people to regularly highlight that one performance,” Tiwary said. He also mentioned how the media can dilute the impact of a bad performance if there is a strong PR presence. “On the other hand, one bad performance and you are buried if you don’t have a PR team,” Tiwary added.
Allegations Against Gautam Gambhir and PR Manipulat
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Tiwary also used the opportunity to reflect on his strained relationship with his former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain Gautam Gambhir. According to Tiwary, his time at KKR, especially under Gambhir’s captaincy, was marked by tension. He accused Gambhir of often scolding him for trivial reasons, and at times, these actions hurt him personally. As a local boy scoring well, the media attention to Tiwary might not have gone down well with Gambhir.
Tiwary further went on to make allegations that how the presence of a PR team helped cover up Gambhir’s faults. He spoke about an instance during a Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Bengal, in which a spat between the two was managed by PR efforts. Tiwary here implied that the PR team played a crucial role in shaping the narrative around Gambhir and shifting the focus away from his mistakes.
Tiwary also played in KKR’s winning IPL team in 2012, with Gambhir as the captain of the side. Here, he contributed by scoring the match-winning runs in the final. Then, he appeared in two more titles won for the team under the leadership of Gambhir. The achievements were in 2014 and 2024, whereby Gambhir was the coach of the team.
Tiwary’s comments have generated debate on the growing influence of PR in sports, especially cricket, where media portrayal can have a significant impact on a player’s career trajectory and public perception. His remarks highlight the complex intersection of performance, media management, and personal relationships within professional sports.