'Letting Them Get Away': Sanjay Manjrekar Calls For Stricter Punishments After Jaiswal Escapes Ban After Headbutt

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the punishment handed to Yashasvi Jaiswal. The India opener was given a lenient sanction following his aggressive confrontation with Sri Lanka pacer Asitha Fernando. Manjrekar said such incidents should not be ignored as they could encourage young cricketers to repeat similar behaviour.

Fernando and Jaiswal clashed in the 17th over after the former dismissed the Indian batter, with an exchange of words leading to a head-to-head confrontation. Both players admitted the offences and accepted the sanctions proposed by ICC Match Referee Andy Pycroft. Jaiswal and Fernando were fined 25 per cent of their match fee and were handed one demerit point each.

"Dear @icc & @bcci… 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," he wrote on X.

Manjrekar also brought up an earlier incident involving 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The teenager was involved in a heated exchange with Sri Lanka A players after India A suffered a Super Over defeat in the Tri-Nation A series in Dambulla. Sooryavanshi, upset by what he viewed as excessive celebrations from the Sri Lankan players, confronted them before the situation escalated into a verbal spat and a shove.