An open letter to Sanjay Manjrekar

Dear Sanjay:

I have been a great fan of yours and it has to do with both your batting techniques and your commentary skills. I always thought you would go on to become what Dravid is today for Indian cricket, but for many reasons you could not achieve that. None the less, I still consider that you had a great underused potential of Indian cricket.

I follow cricket very closely and even play it religiously here in Arizona, USA. I also feel I know certain things about the game however small it may be in comparison to your knowledge about the game. So I always believed, you were also one of the finest cricketing brains in the world as far as commentary goes. But off late, I have seen a big deviation from your own self. For some reason, it seems you have agreed to change yourself and say something which is hard to imagine. Yes I am referring to your being over critical about Sachin Tendulkar off late. Initially when you started it, accusing him of playing slowly, for his own milestones and also asking for them to be dropped in favor of young blood, I had definitely supported your thoughts but slowly I realized a change in you. That change surprised me. You have criticized him over limits for no reasons and when he has played well, you have not bothered to mention about it in any of your articles off late. It seems you want a speed ticket to stardom by criticizing the best of the cricketer in the country and seems you have learnt it from media. Do something sensational if not good to earn name, fame and money. Is it what you are doing now a day in the name of trash commentary? Apply some common sense sir, and analyze his contributions to Indian cricket in the last 1-2 years only and you would see he is still one of the best India has to offer. Why should the age be a criterion for selection as long as he is producing the results? Didn’t we experiment too much with Raina and saw what happened with that?

I will tell you very clearly, you are now in a position where people hate you for what you are and have forgotten what you were or what you have contributed to Indian cricket. Fair criticism when someone is not playing is fair enough and it has to be done but criticizing every move and every X Y and Z thing about a certain man who has done so much to Indian cricket is really a crime. How could you accuse him off feigning injuries? How could you blame him that he plays for himself and targets his own milestones? How could you blame him that he fails under pressure? Did you forget he has 50+ MOMs award in the ODIs? Now please do not tell me those are not for winning the matches and those are actually for milestones otherwise you would question those people who decide the person who significantly contribute in winning the game and declare him MOM.

I truly believe the age factor does slow up your reactions and thinking processes as you cite examples off against him, but I can see this happening to you. This doesn’t apply to greats literally the way you mean. Earn your bread but do not kill someone, that’s a crime.

Once your fan…

Anand

Captain: Kingfishers Cricket Club, Arizona , USA

(http://www.123kings.com)