Sachin - Manjrekar Controversy

It appears to be a rule being followed in cricket, for quite some time, and more so recently, that one can gain instant publicity (not fame), a lot of media coverage and attract the attention of fans if he can come out publicly with a controversial statement about Sachin. In today’s world most of the things are market driven. Agreed, that there are a lot of people genuinely interested in the sport, but there are an equal number who are interested in the controversies surrounding cricketers and cricket. Channels are also on the lookout for the so called “experts” who have a penchant for creating controversies and are thus more marketable than the others who don’t. Don’t be surprised if Sanjay Manjrekar laughs his way to the bank when he negotiates his new deal with TEN SPORTS. And Sachin is a bunny for such cheap publicity seekers because he hardly reacts to whatever they say or write. Most of the time, his willow does the talking of shutting their mouths. But somehow in the process, these people end up benefiting from the controversy, even if they fall flat on their faces. I shouldn’t be wasting an hour or two, writing a blog, trying to uphold Sachin’s integrity and crystal clear image, just because some cynic called Manjrekar decided to question the same. Sachin doesn’t require anyone to bat for him, but it is just that I feel like having a go at this cynical person. I call him so, not just because of this particular controversy, but because of the fact that throughout his career as a commentator and expert he has been harshly critical of India players and the team as a whole, most recent being his downplaying India’s series win against WI. Most people, with whom I have discussed cricket with, would acknowledge this fact particular fact.
Now let’s get to the point. He starts of by saying “It is time Sachin started thinking like a man who has played 362 ODIs and 132 Tests. Which means he has to accept a fact of life that his mind may remain young and retain the youthful exuberance for the game but his body is ageing rapidly”. Anyone who has watched cricket, related television shows, and read interviews would know that Sachin himself has umpteen number of times accepted the same fact and also said that he cannot continue playing like a sixteen year old. With aging, both of the mind and body, he has evolved and matured as a player and his role in the team has also seen another dimension being added to it. Point is, Manjrekar doesn’t need to remind Sachin, that he has played XYZ number of matches. The guy even remembers how he has been dismissed in all these matches. He has been thinking like a 34 yr old, and hence the change in attitude.
Then he goes on to say, “Judging other people's injuries and their seriousness is a very dangerous exercise. Except the person affected, no one really knows how serious the affliction is.” If he is aware of this then why take the pain to write this particular article and rake up a controversy. Secondly, to comment about matters related to injuries, he is neither a practicing sports physiotherapist, nor is he privy to the details of the injury which the team management would be. Being a cricket commentator and a former he could and should comment only about the game being played. While doing so, there is no harm even if he ends up criticizing Sachin for his lack of form, so on and so forth. That would amount to constructive criticism. But why talk about someone’s injuries when you have neither the proper knowledge of the medical science nor the related facts.
Throughout the article he uses words like “guess”, “if this …than”, “could”, “would”. All this goes to suggest that he himself is not sure on what he is writing. Just as an example “But my guess is that Tendulkar seems reluctant to play any international cricket unless he is physically and mentally 100% fit.” How can one write an article about a person who is a national icon, enjoys an almost cult status in India, criticizing him and asking questions about his integrity, when your entire conviction is based on pure guesswork? How can a national daily print it? Absolutely ridiculous. Yellow journalism at its best.
Then he cites certain examples to put forth his guesses. Sachin scored a double ton against Bangladesh and then declared that he was not fully fit. Now, is it written somewhere in the cricket rule books or in the medicine books that one cannot be injured if he has scored a double hundred. If he had declared so after making a paltry score the same person would have criticized him for faking injury to cover up for his bad performance. Then he talks about the Super Series which Sachin missed, and instead opted to take rest and be fit for the Sri Lanka series. Now this particular series which Manjrekar thinks was a great opportunity, not worth missing had actually been ridiculed by former as well as current players and questions were raised as to why such a circus was given official status. Didn’t Sachin do the right thing by opting out of it, probably wasting an opportunity to score a memorable innings without much to lose? Wasn’t his decision to put country before personal glory a correct one. Had he played that series and got injured the same person would have asked questions about his credibility, as to why he chose to play an inconsequential match rather than playing for his country.
Comparing Sachin with Lara is a big farce. Lara doesn’t play one-dayers. That relieves him of at least 2/3rds of the burden of international cricket. Secondly whatever Lara does, shouldn’t be taken as a protocol for rest to follow. Why should a player, who is not fully fit, be playing, however big his stature may be? He indirectly does disservice to him team and teammates. Also I haven’t heard of Lara and Inzamam suffering from injuries like “tennis elbow” and shoulder injuries requiring surgery. In their case injuries are just niggles.
To say that Sachin would fake injuries, one has to be absolutely insane. He would be the last person to do so. And even the physios have come out giving factual evidence of how Sachin has played through pain for the cause of the team. Who can forget the one man show at Chennai, against a lethal Pakistani attack, battling Waqar, Akram and Saqlain and more importantly severe back spasms? Have we forgotten how he played through pain from a finger injury throughout the WC’03, to take India to the finals. There are many more such instances.
Being a journo and having right to freedom of speech doesn’t give Manjrekar the license to raise questions about somebody who has achieved much much more than him. The fact that Sachin came out defending his cause, shows that he was hurt by this and that things need to be seen in the right perspective. Speak and write if you have to, but only about things which you have complete knowledge, don’t make wild guesses. My only question to Manjrekar is, “ Would you like to see an unfit Tendulkar playing, and further aggravating his injuries and jeopardizing the rest of his career or a completely fit Tendulkar, continuing to be the pillar of the batting order and a mentor of Indian cricket for another 4-5 years”?