I don't have a problem with Ravindra Jadeja, I have a problem with his kind of players in white-ball cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar

Love him or hate him, one can simply not ignore Sanjay Manjrekar. The star commentator has been known for his remarks on air, and quite often, this leads him into some unwanted trouble. Despite that, Manjrekar is not one of those who is scared of coming into the line of fire and has continued to voice his opinion without the fear of being hurled at.

Be it his spat with arguably the finest commentators of all time, Harsha Bhogle, or his (in)famous remark on Ravindra Jadeja (read: bits and pieces), by the commentator’s own admission, 2019 was his worst year as a professional. Though he later apologized over his spat with Bhogle and even clarified multiple times about his remarks over Indian all-rounder Jadeja, Manjrekar has often been at the receiving end of the fans’ wrath.

I don’t have a problem with Ravindra Jadeja, says Sanjay Manjrekar

After a forgettable 2019, which even witnessed him being dropped from BCCI’s commentary panel for 12 months, reportedly for his statement over Jadeja, the year 2020 has been quieter and better for the 55-year-old.

In a recent interview with The Hindu, Manjrekar opened up on how he handled the setback of being removed from the BCCI’s commentary panel and his thoughts on Ravindra Jadeja. “Not many people know that I have been removed earlier as well. It was something I tweeted. It’s not easy, of course, but in many, I have become thick-skinned about such things.

“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. I do not have a problem with Jadeja; I have a problem with his kind of cricketers in white-ball cricket. Even Hardik Pandya will not be in my team. They add illusory value to the team. Of course, I have always rated Jadeja highly in the Test format,” Manjrekar added.

Currently, Sanjay Manjrekar is a part of the commentary panel in place for the ongoing series between India and Australia.