Former Indian cricketer, Sanjay Manjrekar, who was removed from BCCI’s commentary panel earlier this year, for his remarks on Ravindra Jadeja and Harsha Bhogle, is an active member on Twitter. He is even analyzing the performance of players and captains in the ongoing 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). On Sunday, October 18, Manjrekar found himself in a tricky situation as a Twitter user accused him being scared of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni for not criticizing the latter.
During the CSK’s previous outing against Delhi Capitals on Saturday, the Yellow Army lost the game by 5 wickets in the last over. Chennai’s veteran all-rounder, Dwayne Bravo was injured and thus MS Dhoni had only two options namely Karn Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja for defending 16 runs off the last six balls. He went for the latter who failed to do the job as Axar Patel smashed him for three sixes to help DC get over the line.
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Many felt that the skipper’s decision of handing the ball to Jadeja while two left-handed batsmen were at the crease was a wrong move. Harboring the same view, Manjrekar expresssed his disappointement on Twitter over this decision. The former cricketer wrote that going with Karn instead of Jadeja was ‘a simple choice’ which CSK didn’t make and as a result.
Manjrekar had tweeted, “With two left handed batsmen at the crease, for me it was a simple choice. Karn Sharma over Jadeja. A wrist spinner can get the ball (googly)to go away from the left handed batsman & wrist spinner gets extra bounce too. Costly mistake from CSK.”
With two left handed batsmen at the crease, for me it was a simple choice. Karn Sharma over Jadeja. A wrist spinner can get the ball (googly)to go away from the left handed batsman & wrist spinner gets extra bounce too. Costly mistake from CSK.#CSKvDC
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) October 18, 2020
However, a Twitter user was not happy with Sanjay Manjrekar for not criticizing MS Dhoni for his wrong tactical move. The user believed that the cricket pundits are scared of Dhoni and thus don’t point out his mistakes. Quoting a previous tweet by Sanjay, the fan wrote that commentators can be critical about other captains like Shreyas Iyer.
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The fan wrote: “Look at his tweet on Shreyas Iyer just a while ago: sharply critical and biting tone. And look at this tweet: Dhoni’s mistake becomes CSK’s mistake. This is a regular trend. How scared are commentators to criticize Dhoni!! Not just Sanjay Manjrekar, each one of them”.
Look at his tweet on Shreyas Iyer just a while ago: sharply critical and biting tone. And look at this tweet: Dhoni's mistake becomes CSK's mistake. This is a regular trend. How scared are commentators to criticize Dhoni!! Not just Sanjay Manjrekar, each one of them. https://t.co/T5d5yw6Km9
— Kunal Singh (@d_extrovert) October 18, 2020
Taking note of this accusation, the 55-year-old Manjrekar clarified, “Sir when I say, costly mistake by CSK, what’s the inference? Is it not Dhoni? And with Iyer, it was his batting I was specifically talking about, can’t say DC there can I? Am I scared to criticise Dhoni? Maybe our friends here on Twitter could answer that.”
Sir when I say, costly mistake by CSK, what’s the inference? Is it not Dhoni?
And with Iyer, it was his batting I was specifically talking about, can’t say DC there can I?
Am I scared to criticise Dhoni? May be our friends here on Twitter could answer that. 😊 https://t.co/QaXKI7M5XR— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) October 18, 2020