Former India batter Murali Vijay had been in the news last week for announcing retirement from international cricket. Vijay, 38, had represented India 87 times across formats during his decade-long international career between 2008-2018.
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Having not played at the highest level for over four years, the announcement wasn’t surprising by any means especially after Vijay’s “done with BCCI” statement last month. Although Vijay hasn’t played any representative cricket in over a couple of years, he still has a desire of “exploring opportunities” around the world both as a player and a businessman.
A force to reckon with at the top of the order in Test cricket during his peak, Vijay scored 3,982 runs across 105 Test innings including 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries. Nicknamed “Monk”, the right-hand batter is fondly remembered for spending large periods of time on a cricket pitch chiefly in challenging overseas conditions.
While exact reason for the same remains unknown, fans of Vijay had rightly slammed the BCCI on Twitter for not putting out a retirement message for him. It is needless to say that someone of Vijay’s achievements deserved a post-retirement eulogy from the cricket board.
What happened between Murali Vijay and Sanjay Manjrekar?
Vijay, who has the best conversion rate in Test matches played in India (minimum 10 50+ scores), saw his name erupt after host broadcaster Star Sports Network displayed this list on the screen during the first session of the second day of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 Test between India and Australia in Nagpur.
Calling the match for Star, former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar allegedly expressed surprise at Vijay topping the list with a conversion rate of 60% on the back of six half-centuries and nine centuries in home Tests.
An astonished Vijay was quick to take to social media platform Twitter after Manjrekar’s statement regarding him. “@sanjaymanjrekar Surprised wow,” read Vijay’s first tweet before he brought to light how West-South divide still prevailing in the minds of some people. For the unversed, Manjrekar has been accused of the same previously as well when he had tweeted preferring current India captain Rohit Sharma over legendary batter VVS Laxman during India’s tour of Australia 2011-12.
Manjrekar, who belongs to Mumbai, apparently started praising Sharma (also plays for Mumbai) instead of talking about Vijay. Readers must note that Sharma is fourth on the list with a 50% conversion rate (seven Test centuries and half-centuries each at home).
Some Mumbai ex players can never be appreciative of the south ! #showsomelove #equality #fairplayforall @sanjaymanjrekar@BCCI
— Murali Vijay (@mvj888) February 10, 2023
L Sivaramakrishnan questions Sanjay Manjrekar expressing surprise at Murali Vijay’s best conversion rate in India
Former India spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan also questioned Manjrekar’s “interesting comment” citing Vijay’s supreme partnership record alongside India batter Cheteshwar Pujara.
Why surprised Sanjay Manjrekar? There was a time when Vijay and Pujara had the highest partnership average for the top order. Interesting comment.
— Laxman Sivaramakrishnan (@LaxmanSivarama1) February 10, 2023
As far as Manjrekar is concerned, it is not for the first time when his commentary stint has initiated a debate. Manjrekar, who had once mocked India’s coach selection process, has been involved in Twitter banters with the likes of Ben Stokes and Michael Vaughan to the extent of blocking the latter once.
Axed from commentating by the BCCI back in the day, the 57-year old has been condemned online by both India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and his Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings for calling the former a “bits and pieces” player during ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
