ENG vs IND: Fans troll Sanjay Manjrekar for dropping Ravindra Jadeja from his playing XI for Lord's Test

The first Test between England and India ended in a draw thanks to the persistent rain on the final day. The visitors needed only 157 runs with nine wickets in hand and many felt India were robbed off a win in Nottingham. The second Test match is set to commence on August 12 at the home of cricket, Lord’s and former India cricketer has made the news after not picking Ravindra Jadeja in his India playing XI for the game.

Manjrekar made two changes to India’s team including Hanuma Vihari and Ravi Ashwin at the expense of Shardul Thakur and Jadeja who fared decently in the first Test. While Thakur bowled nicely swinging the ball and picked four wickets, the latter scored vital 56 runs batting at seven helping India to take a crucial lead in the first innings. However, Jadeja couldn’t pick a single wicket in 16 overs he bowled across two innings.

Manjrekar explained his picks

Sanjay Manjrekar reckoned Rishabh Pant batting at seven will make him more dangerous and for the same reason, added Vihari to the line-up stating that the batter fought for more than 2 hours in his last Test to save the game for India. He also felt that it was hard on Ravi Ashwin in the first Test that he was left out and the off-spinner is a much better wicket-taking option at Lord’s. But this combination will force India to play only three seamers.

“I feel if Rishabh Pant comes at No. 7, he can prove even more dangerous and can play very well with the tail-enders. I am playing Vihari because in the last Test match he played, he batted for 2.5 hours to save India. I will like to bring in Ashwin, who I feel was dropped wrongly in the first match.

“I am bringing a bowler who has greater chances of taking wickets on a good pitch. I will play three seamers – Shami, Bumrah. I don’t know if Ishant is fit but I will go with Siraj because he has the capability to take five wickets,” Manjrekar said on Sony Sports.

While the veteran commentator and former cricketer explained the reason for his changes, the fans took this occasion to bring up the tussle between him and Ravindra Jadeja. Manjrekar had called cricketers like Jadeja as ‘bits and pieces’ players and the all-rounder had come up with a fiery response to it.

Coincidentally, India faced New Zealand in the semi-final of the World Cup 2019 soon after the comment and Jadeja almost took the team home in the thrilling game. Since then, whenever Jadeja’s name comes up, the social media gimmicks don’t forget to involve Manjrekar in the matter and troll him.

Here’s how he was trolled:

He is a negative character, that's why he went for a negative tactic of playing with 7 batters and 4 bowlers only, this mindset not going to give India any direction, instead it will come with injury threat to our bowlers,thankfully team mgmt doesn't care about what he is saying

— BOARDS DON'T HIT BACK..BUT I WILL.. (@37b77bf60ebf465) August 9, 2021

😂😂 Drop the guy who scored 50+ in tough conditions where your main batters failed, to bring in a batter who might or might not score runs. Wah Sanjay ji wah😂😂👏 pic.twitter.com/tRWKI9qDtq

— Abhijith N S (@Abhijithshet7) August 9, 2021

Utterly ludicrous. I don't see any need to change this team because they did very well so far. However if Ishant is fit then he should be back in place of Siraj or Shami.

— Deb_Jai_Hind 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@Deb_Jai_Hind) August 9, 2021

@sanjaymanjrekar is someone who speaks first and thinks later.

— The Cricket Expert 🏏 (@TheCricketExpe2) August 9, 2021

Precisely why no one listens or cares what he says

— Nemanja Vidic15 (@HerbertMUFC) August 9, 2021

Inke iss logic se bhi, jadeja is good enough to bat at 6.

— Suraj (@Cricket70142806) August 9, 2021

SIR wants to know @sanjaymanjrekar your location.

— हरा_अर्थशास्त्री 🇮🇳 (@RE_Economix) August 9, 2021

ONCE A JADEJA HATER
ALWAYS A JADEJA HATER

— MONISH (@Viratfa75419886) August 9, 2021

🤣🤣🤣🤣 chacha ko attention chaiye

— Professor (@Profess08243289) August 9, 2021