Sports is small part of larger entity — the nation: Sanjay Manjrekar

Sanjay Manjrekar, former Indian cricketer who played over 100 international matches for the country, is one of the most sought-after cricket commentators today. Looking composed and relaxed ahead of the recent India vs Australia T20 match at Chinnaswamy Stadium, he got chatty with us about cricket and more. Excerpts...
Post the Pulwama tragedy, talks are on the stop all cricket matches between India and Pakistan.Do you think that such issues should impact any sport? Is sports bigger than political differences?
We need to understand that sports is a small part of a much larger and infinitely more important entity — the nation. Hence, as a good citizen of India, I will respectfully obey whatever the government decides. This was my belief as a player as well. I know cricket is like a religion in India, but it is still just a sport. Sports must take a backseat in matters like this, which decide the future course of the country and its people. Lives are at stake here. I would not want to comment on any other follow-up questions as it is an extremely sensitive issue.
You have close to three million followers on Twitter. What’s your take on social media as a platform to connect with fans and followers?
I joined Twitter when it was growing as a platform, and found it a double-edged sword. It’s got tremendous power and for people like me, it becomes a place where you can say exactly what you want to and not get misquoted by people like you (laughs). And that is where it’s an advantage. But since it is at your disposal, there is a tendency to tweet something that may not be correct, especially if you are high strung or emotional. It’s hard to articulate, given the restricted word count. Luckily, I have learnt how to use it over time. Social media is a parallel world that we need to be in touch with.
Any suggestions on how sportspersons can handle such a platform?
Sportspersons are not great public speakers; they become celebrities because of their skill. So, it is important to have a team that manage and take care of the messages you send out, because even if you think your post is harmless and that you have articulated it well, it might be misconstrued. Luckily, the advantage with such messages is that it has a very short life and people move to the next controversial tweet (smiles).
Do you miss playing cricket?
No, not at all. I have had my fill. My last few years in Test cricket were not very happy ones, due to which I was fed up of the game and quit. The funny thing is that bat manufacturers keep sending me bats and I keep telling them that I retired long back (laughs). I get nostalgic when I hold my old bat, because it was a huge part of my life. But I don’t miss cricket.
Who do you admire from the current lineup of cricketers?
Virat Kohli, because of his incredible self-confidence. He wants to win badly, and to take Indian cricket to the next level. I admire him for that. I also like all the younger players who have skills and a temperament to match. People like Jaspreet Bhumra and Kuldeep Yadav are examples of this new generation of confident and skillful players, and are the reason for India dominating international cricket. There was skill aplenty when I was playing, but there was a lack of self-confidence and a sense of insecurity.
You mentioned that Bengaluru is one your favourite cities…
Yes, it is one of my favourite metros. If there is any other city that I would choose to live in apart from Mumbai, it would be Bengaluru.