Former India wicketkeeper Chandrakant Pandit has backed his former teammate Sanjay Manjrekar who was recently axed from Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) commentary panel. Chandrakant Pandit, a former cricketer-turned coach, said that he has known Sanjay Manjrekar since his childhood days and he is a straightforward person. He also urged BCCI to rethink its decision as well.
“I know him since childhood. He is not a man who can bring harm to someone. He is a straightforward person, which is something I always admired about him. A person who tells you the truth on your face is never liked by anybody,” Chandrakant Pandit told The Times of India. “As a commentator, he has to sometimes say things which may be not be liked by all. He can’t say things that please people, just to keep his job.
“Sanjay isn’t against anybody. I don’t want to blame anybody for his removal, but I request the board to have a rethink about its decision. I am saying this because all the commentators give inputs about the game which are beneficial to not only young cricketers but also coaches like us,” he said.
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“He may sound harsh at times, but the BCCI can ask him to tone down his language, but don’t throw him out of the profession. Many people like listening to straightforward views, If a batsman plays a bad shot in a crucial situation, then he has to say that on air. What’s wrong in that?,” he further added.
Earlier this week, Sanjay Manjrekar had said he accepted the decision of BCCI to leave him out of the commentary panel.
“I have always considered commentary as a great privilege, but never an entitlement. It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not & I will always respect that,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on Twitter. “Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional.”
Sanjay Manjrekar was a constant in BCCI commentary panels in every major tournament which included the 2019 World Cup. However, he called India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja a ‘bits and pieces cricketer’ during the World Cup in England and also bad-mouthed against Harsha Bhogle which didn’t go well with the fans.
