Former India player and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has once again made his feelings public about Ravindra Jadeja, who he had called ‘bits and pieces cricketer’ during the last year’s World Cup cricket in England. Manjrekar, however, clarified that Virat Kohli would still include Jadeja in the playing XI.
Reacting to a Twitter user, who had asked Manjrekar to pick his playing XI for the first ODI, the former India batsman wrote, “Here you go Vaibhav.. Based on the principle of playing specialists – 1- Shikhar 2- Mayank 3- Virat 4- Shreyas 5- Rahul 6- Manish 7- Shami 8- Kuldeep( Virat will pick Jadeja ) 9- Chahal 10- Bumrah 11- Shardul/ Saini.”
Here you go Vaibhav..
Based on the principle of playing specialists –
1- Shikhar
2- Mayank
3- Virat
4- Shreyas
5- Rahul
6- Manish
7- Shami
8- Kuldeep( Virat will pick Jadeja )
9- Chahal
10- Bumrah
11- Shardul/ Saini https://t.co/vFgwF6XliF— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 26, 2020
When a user asked him why he always underestimated Jadeja’s potential as a cricketer, Manjrekar replied, “Because I have a principle about selection that has come about from years of study and personal experience. Pick specialists. Jadeja walks into my Test team as bowler.”
Because I have a principle about selection that has come about from years of study and personal experience. Pick specialists. Jadeja walks into my Test team as bowler. https://t.co/l2zbP9mgww
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 26, 2020
Manjrekar’s playing XI excluding Jadeja evoked strong reactions from cricket fans.
If selected in Playing XI, i am sure Jadeja will have a terrific match tomorrow and he will quote this tweet to break Manjrekar into bits & pieces @imjadeja
— Chandan ?? (@TilaiyanCKS) November 26, 2020
For #AUSvsIND 1st ODI :
Mayank
Dhawan
Virat (C)
Rahul (WK)
Shreyas
Hardik
Jadeja
Chahal
Shami
Saini
BumrahPS :
Apologies to Sanjay Manjrekar !!@sanjaymanjrekar— Kaustuv Dwivedi (@dwivedi_kaustuv) November 26, 2020
Manjrekar hates jadeja ? https://t.co/RGBJWtuat6
— Vedant (@vedant7282) November 26, 2020
Manjrekar has triggered a huge controversy during the World Cup last year by calling Jadeja ‘bits and pieces player.’ “I am not a big fan of bits and pieces players which Jadeja is at this point of his career in 50-over cricket. In Test matches, he is a pure bowler. But in 50-over cricket, I would rather have a batsman and a spinner,” he was quoted as saying.
This had evoked an angry reaction from the player from Giujarat, who had tweeted, “Still i have played twice the number of matches you have played and i m still playing. Learn to respect ppl who have achieved.i have heard enough of your verbal diarrhoea.”
India and Australia will lock horns in the first of the three ODI series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.