“Why surprised Sanjay Manjrekar”: L Sivaramakrishnan questions Sanjay Manjrekar expressing surprise at Murali Vijay’s best conversion rate in India

Dixit Bhargav | 10/02/2023
"Why surprised Sanjay Manjrekar": L Sivaramakrishnan questions Sanjay Manjrekar expressing surprise at Murali Vijay's best conversion rate in India

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.

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).

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.

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.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
Laxman Sivaramakrishnan Murali Vijay Rohit Sharma Sanjay Manjrekar

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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