Sanjay Manjrekar Blasts ICC and BCCI Over Lenient Penalties for Player Misconduct
Former Indian batter and respected cricket commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has launched a scathing critique of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), arguing that the governing bodies are failing the sport by issuing “light” punishments for on-field aggressive behavior.
Manjrekar’s comments follow a heated confrontation between India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando during the second Test match in Colombo. The incident occurred on the opening day, shortly after Fernando successfully bowled Jaiswal, who had been in an aggressive mood, having struck three boundaries earlier in the over.
As the Indian opener began his walk back to the pavilion, he stopped and turned to confront the bowler. The encounter escalated quickly, with Jaiswal’s helmet making physical contact with Fernando’s forehead. The tension necessitated an immediate intervention from teammates to separate the two players.
“Training Them to Repeat”: Manjrekar’s Warning
In response to the incident, the ICC handed both Jaiswal and Fernando a 25 percent match fee fine and one demerit point each, citing a breach of Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct—which prohibits “inappropriate physical contact.”
Manjrekar, however, believes the disciplinary action was insufficient. Taking to social media, he argued that such leniency fosters a culture of hostility rather than curbing it.
“Dear ICC and BCCI, Vaibhav for India 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 wrote on X.
A Pattern of Concern
Manjrekar’s frustration stems from a broader pattern of on-field aggression involving younger players. He specifically highlighted a recent incident involving 15-year-old talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was involved in a confrontation with Sri Lankan players during an India A tri-series in Dambulla. Following a defeat in the Super Over, Sooryavanshi was seen exchanging words and pushing a member of the opposing team, an act for which he was fined 50 percent of his match fee.
By drawing a comparison between the two events, Manjrekar emphasized that these are not isolated incidents but symptoms of an environment where players are not being taught to handle defeat or high-pressure moments with professional composure.
The ICC’s Stance
In its official statement, the ICC noted that because neither Jaiswal nor Fernando had committed a disciplinary offence in the preceding 24 months, the sanctions were limited to the fines and the single demerit point.
Despite the formal justification, the cricketing fraternity remains divided. While some argue that such incidents add to the “competitive fire” of international cricket, voices like Manjrekar’s underscore a growing concern that the BCCI and ICC must adopt a more rigid stance to ensure that the spirit of the game remains intact, particularly for the next generation of rising stars.
