Latest news with #SanjayManjrekar
The Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Kevin Pietersen leaps to Ben Stokes' defence following fourth Test criticism
Kevin Pietersen has leapt to Ben Stokes' defence after the England captain was criticised for his reaction to India refusing an early finish towards the end of the fourth Test. India left Emirates Old Trafford on Sunday with a draw to keep the Rothesay series alive – England lead 2-1 – after the tourists batted out five sessions as Stokes' side took just four wickets in 143 overs. England's toil might have ended earlier as Stokes offered to shake hands with 15 overs left but he was rebuffed by Ravindra Jadeja as he and fellow spinner Washington Sundar were approaching their hundreds. The hosts were visibly irritated by the decision and a few offered some choice words, while Stokes withdrew his frontline bowlers and turned to Harry Brook's loopy mid-30mph off-spin to hasten a finish. Only when both Jadeja and Washington brought up three figures did the penultimate Test of the series conclude, but Stokes was labelled a 'spoilt kid' by former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar on streaming service JioHotstar in India. Pietersen, a former England team-mate of Stokes, views things differently, though, as he said on X: 'Two days fielding and no result on the cards – you WANT to get off the field! 'You cannot have a pop at Ben Stokes for his frustration. Very easy to have a pop at him when you're sitting in your lounge watching. You're NOT in the battle. Leave the men in the ring to be emotional.' With a blockbuster Ashes series looming on the horizon, many Australian media outlets have seized upon the contentious day five incident in Manchester, with a Sydney Morning Herald opinion piece titled: 'Spare us the whinging, England. The only thing embarrassing about Old Trafford was your tantrum.' Stokes, whose side will look to seal a series win at the Kia Oval this week, insisted he would not have had more satisfaction from getting a hundred than an 80 or 90 not out to help his side avoid defeat. But former Australia opening batter and head coach Justin Langer told Australian daily digital newspaper The Nightly: 'It's great to see that Test cricket still has that hard edge. 'If the roles were reversed, I imagine if it were Ben Stokes whose young team-mates had the chance to score a Test 100, he would have done the exact same thing (as Jadeja and Sundar).' Tensions between England and India had died down in Manchester after the rancour at Lord's earlier this month although this latest flashpoint adds another layer of drama to this week's fifth and final Test. Pietersen added: 'The Stokes issue should NOT distract from the batters who batted to save the Test Match! Outstanding effort and one which makes The Oval a v v important Test. 'Every BIG series I played in had needle and some sort of controversy at some stage. Enjoy this controversy leading into the 5th Test. It's what makes a series memorable!'
News18
20-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Not Yashasvi Jaiswal! Sanjay Manjrekar Says England Fear This 27-Year-Old Batter
Sanjay Manjrekar believes Rishabh Pant should play freely in Tests as his aggressive style scares England. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Rishabh Pant should get the license to play as he wants to, which includes his incredible shots across the ground, and shouldn't be asked to play in a certain manner in Tests, because he is one batter whom England are scared of. Pant is known for his aggressive and fearless approach with the bat. There have been instances when such aggression hasn't paid off, and he has given his wicket away to the opposition. But when the fearless approach has paid off, Pant has proved to be one of the most important batters in the Indian lineup and a threat to the opposition. 'Rishabh Pant will play in his way no matter what the situation is. He should get that license because he deserves it. The batting unit has to function well. Jaiswal must think a bit about how he got out," Manjrekar said while speaking on Star Sports. 'He (Jaiswal) should make use of his form. Pant, I feel, is a big player at No.5. He is a batter who England fear," Manjrekar added. Pant has scored 425 runs from three matches at a stunning average of 70.83. He scored 74 runs in the first innings of the previous Test too. Meanwhile, India captain Shubman Gill on Monday expressed confidence that Pant will be able to play in the fourth Test at Manchester after X-rays allayed fears of a major injury to his finger. Pant had to move off the field during the second session's play on Day 1 of the just-concluded third Test against England at Lord's after suffering a blow to his left index finger. 'Rishabh went for scans. There is no major injury, so he should be fine for the fourth Test in Manchester," Gill said at the post-match press conference. Pant was grimacing in pain after putting in a dive to stop a ball on his left, which ace India pacer Jasprit Bumrah had sprayed down the leg side in the 34th over of England's innings. Pant didn't keep wickets after that incident as Dhruv Jurel came in as a substitute for him. First Published: July 20, 2025, 13:51 IST News cricket Not Yashasvi Jaiswal! Sanjay Manjrekar Says England Fear This 27-Year-Old Batter Latest News Odisha Girl Student, Set On Fire By Three Miscreants, Airlifted To AIIMS Delhi India Cricket Not Yashasvi Jaiswal! Sanjay Manjrekar Says England Fear This 27-Year-Old Batter Agency feeds Turkish food festival delights with authentic street-style favourites Agency feeds 'Don' director Chandra Barot dies at 86 Agency feeds Urban River Management Plan launched to clean Yamuna in Delhi latest news
News18
17-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
This Cricketer Was Touted As The 'Next Gavaskar'. But Dravid And Ganguly Changed All That
In the 1992 Harare Test, India were 101/5 when 'Mr Different' scored a gritty century off 422 balls, batting for 9 hours to take the total past 300. The match ended in a draw Sanjay Manjrekar, a prominent figure in cricket commentary, celebrated his 60th birthday recently. After retiring from cricket, Manjrekar transitioned into a successful career as a commentator, earning substantial fees for his work in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite his prowess in domestic cricket, he did not achieve the same level of success internationally. Manjrekar played a crucial role for the Indian team on several occasions. One notable instance was in a Test match in Harare, where he scored a century and helped draw the game after batting for nearly nine hours. This performance came at a time when legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin failed to deliver. 'Felt My Time Was Up': Manjrekar In his autobiography, ' Imperfect ', launched in 2018, Manjrekar detailed his cricket career and the reasons behind his early retirement. Sanjay Manjrekar, in his book, recalled that during Team India's 1996 tour of England, much was expected from Rahul Dravid. However, it was Sourav Ganguly who initially grabbed the spotlight on that tour. Praising Dravid, Manjrekar wrote that it felt as though he was tailor-made for the Indian team. 'When I saw him bat and the way he played, I felt my time was over," he admitted. Manjrekar announced his retirement at the age of 32. Manjrekar Once Hailed As Gavaskar's Heir Manjrekar's technical proficiency was admired by many, with Sachin Tendulkar referring to him as 'Mr. Different'. He was often compared to Sunil Gavaskar for his technique. Manjrekar played a total of 111 international matches, excelling in terms of technique. In the Harare Test in 1992, Zimbabwe posted 456 runs in their first innings. The Indian team, led by Azharuddin, struggled initially, losing key players like Ravi Shastri (11), Sachin Tendulkar (0), and Azharuddin (9) early. The Indian team was struggling at 101 for 5, but Manjrekar held firm, batting for nearly nine hours to take the total past 300. He faced 422 deliveries and scored a gritty century. The Test eventually ended in a draw. Sanjay Manjrekar's Cricket Journey Over his cricket career, Manjrekar played 37 Tests, scoring 2043 runs at an average of 37, including four centuries and seven half-centuries. His highest Test innings was 218 runs. In 74 ODIs, he amassed 1994 runs at an average of 33, with one century and 15 half-centuries. He also scored over 10,000 runs in first-class cricket, totalling 10,252 runs in 147 matches at an average of 55, including 31 centuries and 46 half-centuries. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
France 24
15-07-2025
- Sport
- France 24
Jadeja hailed for taking India close but Gavaskar rues lack of risk
Jadeja, batting at number seven, hit a painstaking unbeaten 61 as he shepherded the tail from 112-8 at lunch chasing 193 for victory against England in the third Test. But he eventually ran out of partners after more than four hours at the crease as India were all out for 170 after tea on a nerve-shredding final day. Jadeja, who came in at 71-5 and saw India slump to 112-8 at lunch, chose to protect Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj from England's attack by scoring singles to keep the strike and controlling his attacking instincts. Former batting great Sunil Gavaskar said on Sony Sports that scoring quicker and putting pressure back on England's bowlers might have resulted in "a partnership of 60-70 would have made a difference". "India never got that (partnership)," he said. "You could say that Jadeja could have taken the odd chance and not necessarily the aerial route when Joe Root and Shoaib Bashir were bowling. But full marks to him (Jadeja)." Jadeja hit just four fours and one six in his 181-ball stay before Bashir bowled number 11 Siraj to trigger jubilant England celebrations. "I'd like to look a little deeper into that whole innings," former batsman Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo. "There was one attempt at playing a shot that went for six. "But I don't think there were too many attempted attacking shots. "For me, one telling moment was when he got to his fifty and India were still a few runs short. "You saw the reaction of the dressing room there were people applauding but I don't think there was excitement around and belief that Jadeja would take them through." India's greatest batsman Sachin Tendulkar lamented: "So near, yet so far." "Jadeja, Bumrah, & Siraj fought all the way till the end," he posted on X. "Well tried, Team India. England played well to keep the pressure on and produced the result they desired. Congratulations on a hard-fought win." England lead the series 2-1 with two to play. © 2025 AFP
News18
14-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
Did Aggression Get the Better Of Shubman Gill At Lord's? 'Virat Performed Better...'
Sanjay Manjrekar has critiqued Shubman Gill's cautious play post England's sledging on Day 4 at Lord's, contrasting it with Virat Kohli's aggressive style. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has said that captain Shubman Gill looked tentative after he was sledged constantly by the England players on Day 4 of the Lord's Test, especially after his fiery interaction with them at the end of Day 3, comparing it with Virat Kohli's improved performance while being 'angry'. At stumps on Day 4, India stuttered to 58/4, having lost Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Gill and night watchman Akash Deep. A relentless Brydon Carse got the prized wicket of Gill, who was adjudged LBW off a sharp incoming ball. 'Gill, suddenly looking tentative last evening, had a lot to do with the hostility he got at the crease from England. Virat performed better, the angrier he got. Dhoni is the exact opposite. Gill must decide what gets the best out of him as a batter, calmness or anger," Manjrekar tweeted on Monday morning. Gill suddenly looking tentative last evening had a lot to do with the hostility he got at the crease from England. Virat performed better, the angrier he got. Dhoni the exact opposite. Gill must decide what gets the best out of him as batter, calmness or anger.— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 14, 2025 Carse had kept asking questions to Gill in that over and was rewarded. While it was expected that the latter would add some crucial runs with KL Rahul to take India closer to the target, he fell for just six runs. Gill's record in SENA nations was questioned ahead of his first Test series as skipper, but he has silenced his doubters by elevating his red ball game to the next level. Although Gill is still the highest run-scorer in the series, with 607 runs from three matches at a stunning average of 101.16, his scores of 16 and six at Lord's have raised questions over his mentality. The Gill-led Indian batting line-up has delivered following the high-profile retirements of Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Behind Gill, his deputy Rishabh Pant is the second-highest run-scorer in the series, with 416 runs from five innings at a stunning average of 83.2 and with India needing 135 runs to win with six wickets in hand, a lot would depend on Pant. view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 10:27 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
