Former India bowler R Vinay Kumar took to social media to respond to an on-air comment by Sanjay Manjrekar during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
On Sunday (November 24), Vinay Kumar wrote the following on X (formerly Twitter), addressing television commentator Sanjay Manjrekar: "Sanjay bhai with due respect, your speed gun requires urgent servicing. 120KMPH, seriously? With God’s grace I take pride in my achievements, I am contented, satisfied and happy with my life.
"[A] medium pacer like Vinay Kumar has worked really hard to become the 1st Indian fast bowler to take 100 IPL wickets, also played for the country in all the formats. I take pride in my bowling. Anyways best wishes and regards."
Sanjay bhai with due respect, your speed gun requires urgent servicing.
— Vinay Kumar R (@Vinay_Kumar_R) November 24, 2024
120KMPH 🥹 Seriously?
With God’s grace I take pride in my achievements, I am contented, satisfied and happy with my life.
Medium pacer like Vinay Kumar has worked really hard to become the 1st Indian fast…
The post did not come without reason, though. On Saturday, while commentating on the first Test between Australia and India in Perth, Manjrekar had said the following about the development of fast bowlers in India over the last decade or so: "[It was regulated by the board], how much grass you need to have on the surface at the domestic level.
"But I think that's gone, but what it also did was medium pacers like the Vinay Kumars, with no disrepect to him, were topping the wicket-taking charts because all they needed to do with grass on the pitch was put the ball at 120 kmph in the right area, and they got wickets."
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The comment was clearly not taken well by Vinay Kumar, who played one Test, 31 ODIs and nine T20Is for India, picking up 48 wickets in all. He also enjoyed a stellar domestic career 504 wickets in 139 first-class matches. His tally of 442 wickets in the Ranji Trophy is the fourth-highest in the competition's history, and the highest for a pace bowler. In the IPL, Vinay Kumar played 105 matches for four different teams, taking 105 wickets.
This is also far from the first time an active player has chosen to rebut a statement made by Manjrekar. Just last week, Mohammed Shami hit back at the commentator for saying Shami would see his price in the IPL 2025 auction drop. As it happened, Shami's price in the auction actually went up from the previous amount he was paid.
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