Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, known for his candid remarks, was involved in a lively discussion with former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis during a recent TV exchange concerning Indian all-rounders.
This conversation occurred during a rain delay in the India vs. Pakistan match at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on September 10. The topic of discussion revolved around India’s all-rounders, both past and present.
Waqar Younis suggested that contemporary Indian stars like Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya are on par with the legendary Yuvraj Singh, who is widely regarded as India’s greatest match-winner in limited-overs cricket.
Yuvraj played a pivotal role in India’s victories at the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. His remarkable performances with both bat and ball earned him the Man of the Tournament title in the ODI World Cup, helping India secure the World Cup after a 28-year gap.
While Jadeja and Pandya haven’t yet led India to a major tournament victory like the World Cup, Waqar believes they have shown enough potential to be compared to Yuvraj. However, Sanjay Manjrekar disagreed, acknowledging Pandya and Jadeja’s talents but asserting that they still can’t be equated to Yuvraj.
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Manjrekar stated, “Yuvraj is arguably India’s best white-ball batter. He could win games and was in a different league. Hardik and Jadeja, with due respect, aren’t quite there. These two are far better bowlers than Yuvraj Singh, but because that one discipline was so disciplined.”
Waqar challenged Manjrekar’s viewpoint, particularly regarding Hardik Pandya, stating, “Not even Hardik Pandya? With the kind of batting that he has shown? I am not comparing them, but the intention is there.”
Sanjay Manjrekar continued, emphasizing Hardik Pandya’s role as a batting all-rounder and acknowledging his strong recent performances but highlighting Yuvraj Singh’s unparalleled prowess in a single discipline.
The India vs. Pakistan match will resume on Monday due to the reserve day rule, with India at 147/2 in the 25th over when heavy rain forced a halt to the game on Sunday.