"Watching my dear friend on screen" - Ravindra Jadeja posts surprise Twitter message for Sanjay Manjrekar
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja posted an out-of-the-blue Tweet for former batter Sanjay Manjrekar on Thursday, in which he called the latter a "dear friend".
The post included a photo of a post-match television broadcast of the Legends League Cricket 2022 match between India Capitals and Manipal Tigers. Manjrekar can be seen holding a mic in the picture.
Jadeja simply tagged him and wrote:
"Watching my dear friend on screen @sanjaymanjrekar"
Watching my dear friend on screen @sanjaymanjrekar https://t.co/gU9CnxC9Mx
The two cricketers have had an awkward relationship since 2019. Manjrekar started it by famously calling Jadeja a "bits-and-pieces" cricketer during the ODI World Cup. Jadeja had called him out on Twitter for spreading "verbal diarrhea".
Since then, Manjrekar has both praised and criticized the all-rounder and all his comments have received particular attention.
Most recently, after India's Asia Cup Group A win over Pakistan, where Jadeja had contributed majorly, Manjrekar had to interview the left-hander after the match.
He started the interview by asking if Jadeja was "okay" to talk to him. The 32-year-old replied in the affirmative and the duo shared a laugh.
Ravindra Jadeja to miss the T20 World Cup
Ravindra Jadeja is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru rehabilitating after knee surgery. The all-rounder reportedly picked up the injury after he slipped during a ski activity between Asia Cup matches in Dubai.
He had to drop out of the tournament midway through and will miss the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Axar Patel, the closest like-for-like replacement India have for Jadeja, has been included in the squad, though his batting ability is still under question.
Patel was in action in the first of India's three-T20I series against South Africa. On a pace-friendly wicket, he bowled his four overs for 16 runs and picked up the wicket of all-rounder Wayne Parnell.
The second T20I will be played on Sunday (October 2) at Guwahati's Barsapara Cricket Stadium.