“Pick Players Without IPL Make-Up”: Manjrekar’s Explosive Message to Selectors

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has urged selectors to evaluate players beyond their Indian Premier League performances, saying India's recent T20I struggles overseas exposed deeper issues that cannot be blamed solely on the players.

The defending champions endured a disappointing tour, first losing the T20I series against Ireland 0-2 and then suffering a crushing 0-4 defeat to England in the five-match series, with one game abandoned due to rain. The losses marked India's first defeat in a T20I series or tournament in three years.

Reacting to the setback, Manjrekar said the focus should be on how the IPL has shaped batting habits. In a strongly worded social media post, he argued that the league often places a "heavy make-up" on Indian batters and that selectors must identify those whose games can succeed when the conditions are far less forgiving.

According to Manjrekar, the era of easy scoring in familiar home conditions is over, with India set to play a significant amount of T20 cricket abroad in the coming months. He stressed that overseas conditions demand adaptability, technique and temperament rather than relying purely on power-hitting.

The IPL has long faced criticism for producing batting-friendly surfaces, shorter boundaries and conditions that encourage aggressive strokeplay. Critics believe such an environment can make the transition to swinging and seaming conditions overseas more challenging. The league's Impact Player rule has also come under scrutiny, with many former cricketers arguing that it has slowed the development of genuine all-rounders.

Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel recently echoed similar concerns, suggesting that the rule has contributed to the country's shortage of quality all-rounders.

India will now shift its attention to a three-match ODI series in England before travelling to Zimbabwe for a T20I assignment later this month. A demanding tour of New Zealand , featuring T20Is, ODIs and Tests, awaits later in the year, making the team's rebuilding efforts even more crucial.