Former India batsman-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar often draws flak for speaking his heart out. Not only the fans, but active cricketers also don’t like his straightforward and at times blunt remarks. 

WATCH - Sanjay Manjrekar narrates an unheard story from his days in club cricket

However, Manjrekar remains unfazed by it. In fact, he believes it is natural for cricketers to react to what commentators say about them because they are sensitive in nature.

In a chat with India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on Instagram, Manjrekar revealed he had himself once reacted negatively to a newspaper column by Dilip Vengsarkar in his playing days.

“Players are sensitive. I used to be sensitive. When Dilip Vengsarkar criticized me in his column, I slipped a note under his door, trying to counter all his observations. So I don’t hold it against players when they react. When Sachin Tendulkar reacted to a column I had written as well, I kept quiet,” Manjrekar said.

“The best way for players to deal with people like us is to look at us as garnish. We are unimportant. They are the players, their performances are all that matter. Nobody is going to be dropped because Manjrekar said so,” he added.

During the 2019 World Cup in England, Sanjay Manjrekar had grabbed the headlines by calling Ravindra Jadeja a “bits and pieces” cricketer.

Reacting to his comments, Jadeja posted a tweet, asking Manjrekar to respect the achievement of people.

Referring to the controversy Ashwin asked Manjrekar: “Is there a possibility that you sometimes see cricketers with a critical eye because of what you expected of yourself as a cricketer and you now want to be the Sachin Tendulkar of broadcasting?”

To which, Manjrekar replied, “If I did something wrong, it’s because I tried too hard. I try to stay true, there is no agenda (against any player).”

“I know my boundaries. That’s why I’m still around. Otherwise I would have been finished as a commentator five years ago. But Indian fan following is unique. They love somebody so much that they don’t want someone like me finding flaws with him.”