There will be one talking point from the game between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) in IPL 2024 on Monday, April 1, which will be bigger than the outcome of the game itself.
During the toss, Sanjay Manjrekar was joined by the two captains, Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians) and Sanju Samson (Rajasthan Royals).
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When Manjrekar announced Hardik's name, the entire Wankhede crowd started to boo the 30-year-old immediately.
Seeing the poor reception Hardik received, Manjrekar stood in defence of the MI skipper and asked the fans to "behave".
That gesture from the former cricketer-turned-commentator has drawn a lot of flak online, with one particular user mentioning the 1994 incident where Manjrekar was sent off the field by an umpire during a Ranji Trophy game.
A cricketer who was sent off the field by the umpire in a Ranji trophy match in the early 80s for misbehavior is asking paid spectators to behave. What an irony !
— Makarand Waingankar (@wmakarand) April 1, 2024
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Why was Sanjay Manjrekar sent off the field by an umpire?
Manjrekar was dismissed for a session in a first-class match for misconduct by veteran ICC official Vinayak Kulkarni. It happened in December 1994 at a Bombay vs Maharashtra Ranji Trophy game in Solapur.
Kulkarni cautioned the concerned team after taking issue with Manjrekar's comments on the officiating and the Bombay players' excessive appeals. But Bombay would not back down, and Kulkarni used his authority to order Manjrekar off the field. This occurred during the day's first session, and Manjrekar, clearly taken aback, was forced to abandon the field.
“I was acting within the powers bestowed upon me by the authorities. It was a tough decision and I was told that since I had acted against an India player my career would be in jeopardy. But I was only doing my duty and ensuring that we did not lose control over the game,” Kulkarni told The Hindu while recalling the incident in 2016.
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