5 Controversial Statements Made By Sanjay Manjrekar On Cricketers

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has often been in the news in the past few years for wrong reasons; all of them created by himself though.

The 55-year-old is an experienced commentator and analyst who has a good eye for the game. However, sometimes he makes such controversial, out-of-the-blue comments and remarks on the players which don’t go down well with them and on social media as well.

Sanjay Manjrekar, who played in 37 Tests and 74 ODIs and registered 5 international hundreds, has been a constant presence on the TV screens as a commentator, but, in the wake of the controversies he attracted, was sacked by the BCCI for the IPL last year.

5 Controversial Statements Made By Sanjay Manjrekar On Cricketers:

Ashwin not an all-time great, doesn’t have a single five-wicket haul in SENA countries

Sanjay Manjrekar’s latest escapade on social media was when he opined that off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shouldn’t be considered an all-time great because he hasn’t picked a single five-wicket haul in the SENA countries – which are South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia.

“When people start talking about him as being one of the all-time greats of the game then I have a few problems. One basic problem I have with Ashwin is that when you look at SENA countries, Ashwin doesn’t have a single five-wicket haul there,” Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo.

Ashwin’s average of 21.89 at home is miles better than 40.11 in SENA countries; out of his 30 five-wicket hauls 24 came in India, 3 in Sri Lanka, 2 in West Indies, and 1 in Bangladesh – none in the SENA countries, a fact which Sanjay Manjrekar emphasizes on.

He received heavy flak on social media for his views; Manjrekar, though, made it clear that he was entitled to his opinions.

‘All- time great’ is the highest praise & acknowledgement given to a cricketer. Cricketers like Don Bradman, Sobers, Gavaskar, Tendulkar, Virat etc are all time greats in my book. With due respect, Ashwin not quite there as an all-time great yet. ?#<!---->A<!---->l<!---->l<!---->T<!---->i<!---->m<!---->e<!---->G<!---->r<!---->e<!---->a<!---->t<!---->E<!---->x<!---->p<!---->l<!---->a<!---->i<!---->n<!---->e<!---->d?

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) J<!---->u<!---->n<!---->e<!----> <!---->6<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

‘Bits and Pieces’ jibe at Ravindra Jadeja

The Ravindra Jadeja-Sanjay Manjrekar tussle during the 2019 World Cup brought the former cricketer to the limelight on social media and invoked heavy trolling since. He had termed the all-rounder as a ‘bits and pieces’ cricketer and that he doesn’t bring in at least one role on his own in the eleven.

“I am not a big fan of bits and pieces players which Jadeja is at this point of his career in 50-over cricket. In Test matches, he is a pure bowler. But in 50-over cricket, I would rather have a batsman and a spinner,” Manjrekar had told IANS.

Jadeja wasn’t taking any taunt from Sanjay Manjrekar. He replied with this:

Still i have played twice the number of matches you have played and i m still playing. Learn to respect ppl who have achieved.i have heard enough of your verbal diarrhoea.@<!---->s<!---->a<!---->n<!---->j<!---->a<!---->y<!---->m<!---->a<!---->n<!---->j<!---->r<!---->e<!---->k<!---->a<!---->r

— Ravindrasinh jadeja (@imjadeja) J<!---->u<!---->l<!---->y<!----> <!---->3<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->9

Jadeja, though, wasn’t done with Sanjay Manjrekar. After he completed his spectacular fifty in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand, Jadeja gestured towards the commentary box where the commentator was placed. Jadeja had displayed a brilliant all-round show in the game – 1/34 with the ball, a catch, a run-out, and a 59-ball 77-run knock – albeit in the loss.

Virat Kohli does not belong here

Fans often dig out this one tweet of Sanjay Manjrekar from 9 years ago, dated Jan 6, 2012, where he says that Virat Kohli, then a young batsman trying to make it into the Test side, didn’t belong in the red-ball cricket.

I would still drop VVS & get rohit in for next test.Makes long term sense. give virat 1 more test..just to be sure he does not belong here.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) J<!---->a<!---->n<!---->u<!---->a<!---->r<!---->y<!----> <!---->6<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->2

Later, Kohli would become one of the most successful Test batsmen – currently with 7490 runs at 52.37 with 27 tons – and also the India captain across formats, taking the side to number 1 Test rankings.

A couple of years ago, the cricketer-turned-commentator explained his tweet citing that Kohli had 4 low scores before he had tweeted, and it was after his tweet the right-hander scored runs in Perth and the famous Adelaide hundred.

Very proud of that tweet. In his 1st year in Tests, after scores of 11,0,23,9 in Aus, I remember, fans/media saying Virat does not belong here & had his neck on the chopping block for the next Test. I said give him 1 more Test to be sure. Glad Dhoni & me were on the same page.? h<!---->t<!---->t<!---->p<!---->s<!---->:<!---->/<!---->/<!---->t<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->/<!---->r<!---->5<!---->0<!---->Q<!---->j<!---->m<!---->9<!---->K<!---->i<!---->W

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->8<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->9

Pollard Does Not Have Brains

In one of the games between the Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2017, Kieron Pollard was sent up the order to bat. Sanjay Manjrekar in the commentary opined that Pollard was not capable of playing higher up the batting order, and he said it with no subtlety.

“Pollard does not have the brains to play early in the innings,” he said.

The big West Indian was unhappy with the commentator’s remarks and blasted him on Twitter.

@<!---->s<!---->a<!---->n<!---->j<!---->a<!---->y<!---->m<!---->a<!---->n<!---->j<!---->r<!---->e<!---->k<!---->a<!---->r u feel any positive can come out of your mouth bcuz u get pay to talk u can continue with your verbal diarrhea ..

— Kieron Pollard (@KieronPollard55) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Do you know how I get big so.. about BRAINLESS.. words are very powerful .. once it leaves u can't take it back.. sins of parents fall on…

— Kieron Pollard (@KieronPollard55) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->9<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->1<!---->7

Hardik Pandya will not be in my team as a specialist batsman

Another one of recent clumsy judgements and calls from Sanjay Manjrekar was regarding Hardik Pandya. On the tour of Australia a few months ago, because of his back injury and fitness issues, Pandya was not allowed to bowl, and played in the side as a specialist batsman. To which Sanjay Manjrekar did not concur.

“My selection and thoughts are based on a principle that I have learned over the years: if you have specialists who can walk-in based on one discipline, you fill your team with those players. Even Hardik Pandya will not be in my team. They add illusory value to the team,” he said.

Pandya let his bat do the talking – he scored a couple of nineties in the ODI series and was Man of the Match in the T20I series for his batting alone. Sanjay Manjrekar would then go on to acknowledge his misjudgement.

Was skeptical about Hardik the pure batsman in 50 overs cricket. Not anymore. ????#<!---->A<!---->U<!---->S<!---->v<!---->s<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) D<!---->e<!---->c<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->0

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