Five Most Hated Cricket Commentators

Great commentators often add a feel to any cricket match. While not all parts of the country can currently accommodate fans within the stadium, an excellent commentary panel and the proper use of words and phrases at the right time is a treat to any fan watching from afar, even if the spectators are absent. It’s when a player or a team accomplishes something stunning is when great commentary is missed the most.

But not all commentators can be unbiased and grab the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. With the growing use of social media, several renowned cricket experts come under the limelight for making such controversial or debatable comments or by saying something wrong on air. As a result, they invite plenty of haters for them, who take a jibe at them every time they get the opportunity.

We take a look at the five most hated cricket commentators of all time:

Russell Arnold:

Former Sri Lankan middle-order batsman and all-rounder Russell Arnold was a handy cricketer, playing from 1997 to 2007. Russell Arnold featured in 44 Tests, one T20I, and 180 ODIs, the last of which came in the 2007 World Cup final against Australia. After retiring, Arnold took up commentator and has become a reasonably renowned one too.

But the 47-year old was in the news for all the wrong reasons during India’s tour of England in 2018 when he took a jibe at the tourists’ performance. With the fourth Test in Southampton ending in four days with India losing by 60 runs, Arnold tweeted, “Test matches are still 5 days aren’t they ??? #justasking.” It predictably did not go down well with the Indian fans as they reminded him of Sri Lanka’s poor performances in recent times and their world rankings.

Dean Jones:

Late Australian cricketer Dean Jones was one of the best batsmen Australia had. Dean Jones enjoyed a glorious playing career from 1984 to 1994, featuring in 52 Tests and 164 ODIs. The Victorian scored a significant amount of runs, averaging a healthy 46.55 and 44.61 in Test and ODI cricket, respectively. He was also a renowned commentator, but a comment against Hashim Amla was hugely distasteful.

During an ODI between Sri Lanka and South Africa back in 2006 in Colombo, when Hashim Amla took a catch to get rid of Kumar Sangakkara, Jones said on air, “the terrorist has got another wicket”. Following that, his employer Ten Sports, sacked him and the Victorian apologized for his insensitive comments. Nevertheless, the cricketing fraternity mourned his demise last year on the 24th of September after a heart attack caused it to happen in Mumbai.

Geoffrey Boycott:

Former England great Geoffrey Boycott landed in a controversy in June last year for making sexist comments. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Boycott claimed that one needs to understand the intensity of Test cricket or needs to play to provide expert analysis. The Yorkshire lad further said that it cannot comment after featuring in club cricket or women’s cricket, which he believes comes nowhere near to the power and pace of men’s.

“Many people do not understand there are two types of commentators. There is the one that sets the scene and calls the ball-by-ball play and there is another who gives expert opinion and analysis. 

You do not have to have played top cricket to be a great ball-by-ball commentator. But to provide expert analysis you need to have experienced the heat of Test cricket and understand what it takes to succeed. 

You have to know the pressure, emotions and technique required and I do not believe you can learn that from reading a book or because you played club cricket, second XI cricket or, with great respect, women’s cricket. As good as the women are at their game, it bears no resemblance to the power and pace of men’s cricket,” Boycott claimed.

 

Navjot Singh Sidhu:

Apart from playing his part for the Indian team on the field, Navjot Singh Sidhu has involved himself in commentary, politics, and been a recognized TV personality. Navjot Singh Sidhu, the dashing opener, who used to take the bowlers to the cleaners, has served as a judge in shows such as The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and Comedy Nights with Kapil.

While the 57-year old is widely known for his Sher-O-Shayaris or poetries and using amusing words, the former opener was banned by ESPN-STAR once for using an expletive. Later, the ICC also banned Sidhu for making exaggerated criticism of Bangladeshi cricketers. Navjot Singh Sidhu further grabbed the spotlight for making some politically debatable comments after the 2019 Pulwama tragedy.

Sanjay Manjrekar:

Topping the list is Sanjay Manjrekar, the former Indian cricketer, who has copped plenty of criticism in recent times. Sanjay Manjrekar massively threw himself in the spotlight when he said on-air during the 2019 World Cup that Ravindra Jadeja is a bits and pieces player in 50-over cricket and that he would rather have a batsman and a spinner. The same irked the fans on social media and Jadeja himself too.

Not only did Ravindra Jadeja gave Manjrekar a fitting reply over Twitter, but he also played a marvelous innings in the tournament’s semi-final against New Zealand, albeit in a losing cause, to silence the commentator. Even recently, the 55-year old has raised question marks over Ravichandran Ashwin’s greatness, claiming that the off-spinner does not have a fifer in the SENA countries.

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