Manjrekar Urges ICC, BCCI to Take Stronger Action Against Sooryavanshi, Jaiswal

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has urged the ICC and BCCI to take a firmer stance on on-field misconduct involving young.

Indian players Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, warning that leniency could encourage similar incidents in the future.

Manjrekar’s remarks followed Jaiswal’s altercation with Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando during the second Test in Colombo. Both players were fined 25 per cent of their match fees and received one demerit point after admitting to breaching Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct concerning inappropriate physical contact.

The confrontation took place after Fernando dismissed Jaiswal for 45 on the opening day. Following what appeared to be a send-off from the Sri Lankan pacer, Jaiswal turned back and confronted him. The two players came face-to-face before Jaiswal’s helmet made contact with Fernando’s forehead and teammates intervened.

Manjrekar argued that the incident should also be viewed in the context of Sooryavanshi’s earlier confrontation with Sri Lanka A players.

“Vaibhav for Ind A recently & now Jaiswal if you keep letting them get away with such behaviour, you train them to repeat such behaviour. It’s not good for the sport & crucially their own future too,” Manjrekar wrote on social media, tagging the ICC and BCCI.

Sooryavanshi was involved in a heated exchange with Sri Lanka A players after India A lost a Super Over in a tri-series match in Dambulla in June. The teenager appeared to shove Sri Lanka A’s Vishen Halambage during the incident.

The episode raised questions over whether disciplinary action would follow. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board had no role in determining punishment, as such matters were handled by match officials and the relevant cricket authorities. He also advised India A players to remain focused on cricket instead of getting distracted by “collateral issues”.

Jaiswal, meanwhile, defended his actions after commentator Harsha Bhogle suggested that walking away would have been the better response. Replying to a Cricbuzz video, Jaiswal said critics should not judge the incident without knowing what had been said.

“If someone crosses the line, we need to let them know. This India will fight and reply,” Jaiswal added.

Bhogle acknowledged that Jaiswal may have been provoked but felt the batter’s competitive instincts had taken over. He stressed that a player of Jaiswal’s ability should avoid allowing such confrontations to overshadow his performances.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak also offered a balanced view, saying something may have been said to Jaiswal but suggesting the batter should not have moved so close to Fernando.

For Manjrekar, the issue is not about taking the aggression out of competitive cricket but establishing clear boundaries. His concern is that repeated leniency toward promising young players could send the wrong message and ultimately affect both the sport and the players’ careers.