Manjrekar and Vaughan engage in war of words on Twitter over Jadeja

Picture Courtesy/ Sanjay Manjrekar's Instagram

Former Indian cricketer and World Cup 2019 commentator Sanjay Manjrekar recently courted controversy when he labelled Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja a 'bits and pieces cricketer.'

This happened when Sanjay Manjrekar was on live commentary during the India vs Bangladesh cricket match in the round robin stage.

Ravindra Jadeja went on to slam Sanjay Manjrekar on Twitter and also questioned him playing lesser ODIs and also took a dig at his commentary calling it 'verbal diarrhoea'.

However, much to everyone's surprise, Sanjay Manjrekar went on to predict team India's playing XI for the semis against New Zealand and had Jadeja in the squad.

Former England captain and cricketer Michael Vaughan did not waste time and replied to Manjrekar's tweet and pointed out the selection of Ravindra Jadeja in the team. "I see you have picked that bits and pieces cricketer!!!" wrote Vaughan on Twitter.

Sanjay Manjrekar then defended his own self regarding Michael Vaughan's tweet and said that it was the team he predicted, and not the one he wants. "‘Predicted' my dear Vaughan...not ‘my' team," he took to Twitter to reply to Vaughan.

The former England cricketer, also went on to take it further and sarcastically ask anjay Manjrekar whether he is selecting "any bits and pieces cricketer". "What's your team then my dear Sanjay !! Are you picking any bits & pieces cricketers ?" Vaughan wrote.

Though Jadeja warmed the bench for eight games, the Saurashtra player showed no rustiness when an opportunity came his way in the last league match against Sri Lanka.

He provided the breakthrough when he foxed Kusal Mendis for three in the flight only to be stumped by MS Dhoni on the fourth ball of his first over.

The wicket couldn't have come at a better time for Jadeja with Manjrekar behind the microphone at that moment. "Jadeja is a quick bowler and this is a pitch that's going to turn. Of the three spinning options India have - Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal - have been the game-changers for India in the middle in the last 18 months.

"Assuming India play in Birmingham, they [India] won't have the heart to play both wrist-spinners especially the England played those two wrist-spinners in the last game. So, I see Jadeja as a good compromise, a good option. He can keep the runs down when the pitch is turning," Manjrekar was quoted as saying on air by India Today website.