Former India batter and current commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has spoken about his much-discussed run-ins with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and pacer Mohammed Shami. Known for his blunt opinions, Manjrekar’s remarks in both cases had sparked major backlash.
The 2019 World Cup “Bits and Pieces” Remark
During the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, Manjrekar had described Jadeja as a “bits and pieces player,” a statement that didn’t sit well with the all-rounder. Jadeja fired back sharply on social media, telling Manjrekar to “respect people who have achieved” and accusing him of “verbal diarrhea.”
Looking back now, Manjrekar called the episode a “misunderstanding.”
“I think Jadeja thought bits and pieces meant something derogatory. That was not my intention,” he explained in a conversation on Stalin Mathias’ YouTube channel.
Prediction Gone Wrong with Shami
In another instance, ahead of the 2024 IPL mega auction, Manjrekar had suggested that Shami might not attract a high bid due to injury concerns. That prediction aged poorly, as Sunrisers Hyderabad secured the pacer for ₹10 crore.
Manjrekar admitted he had “no idea” about Shami’s response to his comments, saying he chose not to dwell on it.
“Tsunamis” of Social Media Backlash
Reflecting more broadly, Manjrekar said he has learned to not get overly affected by social media outrage.
“Earlier I used to get affected and try to explain myself. But controversies are like a tsunami—48 hours later, people move on to the next thing,” he remarked.
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