'If you keep letting them get away with such behaviour' - Sanjay Manjrekar not okay with soft sanctions for physical altercations

A social media post by former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, addressed to both the International Cricket Council and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, has drawn attention to what he sees as inadequate punishments for physical altercations involving Indian players.

The comments came after Yashasvi Jaiswal was freed for his physical altercation with Asitha Fernando during the ongoing Colombo Test with a 25 per cent match fee as a penalty and a demerit point. Manjrekar feels that this was not a strict enough punishment by the cricketing authority. He also cited the example of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who had engaged in a similar physical brawl during India A's tour of Sri Lanka.

"Dear ICC and BCCI & Vaibhav for Ind A recently & now Jaiswal… if you keep letting them get away with such behaviour, you train them to repeat such behaviour. It’s not good for the sport & crucially their own future too," Manjrekar shared on X on Wednesday, August 26.

Manjrekar's on-air assessment of the Jaiswal-Fernando incident

The incident involving the Indian opener occurred on Day 1 of the second Test between India and Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo. Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45 off 53 balls in the 17th over of India's first innings, after Jaiswal had struck three boundaries in that over.

Fernando gave Jaiswal a send-off following the dismissal. Jaiswal turned back and walked toward the bowler. The two exchanged words, their helmets made contact, and a push followed before Sri Lankan teammates stepped in. Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva also moved in to calm the situation.

The ICC sanctioned both players under Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct, a Level 1 violation. Each was fined 25% of his match fee and received one demerit point. Both Jaiswal and Fernando admitted to the breach.

Manjrekar had already addressed the incident on air for Sony Sports Network before posting on X. He drew a clear line between verbal exchanges and physical contact.

"Jaiswal is the one who advanced towards the bowler. Whatever was said is part and parcel of the game… So I find that, on this occasion, Jaiswal crossed the line for sure.' He also said: 'If I were the match referee, I would make a serious note of that," he had said via Sony Sports Network earlier.

Jaiswal responded to public criticism by commenting on an Instagram video.

"If you don't know what he said then please don't make your judgment if anyone cross the line we need to let them know this India will fight and reply," Jaiswal commented.

Jaiswal's prior conduct incidents on record

Jaiswal's conduct record includes an earlier incident during the Duleep Trophy 2022 final in Coimbatore on September 25, 2022, when he was involved in an altercation with South Zone batter T Ravi Teja. Umpires intervened twice, and West Zone captain Ajinkya Rahane instructed Jaiswal to leave the field. Jaiswal complied and was still named Player of the Match. On June 2, 2025, during the 2nd Test between England and India at Edgbaston, Jaiswal exchanged words with England captain Ben Stokes after Stokes appeared to deliberately obstruct him while running between wickets. No ICC sanction was reported for that incident.