![Sanjay Manjrekar slams Dhoni fandom, CSK approach: “Sycophancy has seeped into cricket” Chennai Super Kings has endured a poor start to IPL 2026, winning just two of its first six matches to sit seventh on the points table.Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has come under scrutiny for the team’s struggles, with his own batting form also a concern. In six innings, he has managed only 82 runs.Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the CSK management must also shoulder the blame.“This blame, I’m going to put at the doorstep of the owners and people who make the big decisions. Because Gaikwad, before he was captain, was phenomenal at the top of the order,” said Manjrekar on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.Manjrekar added that the overwhelming fandom surrounding CSK legend M.S. Dhoni has not helped Gaikwad’s situation.“And then that thing with M.S Dhoni, whether he’s going to be playing, whether he’s going to be captain, they handled that very badly. And this is where you see the sycophancy of Indian culture that has seeped into cricket as well. I mean, there isn’t just a fan following of Dhoni, there is sycophancy around it,” he added.He also recalled an incident that highlighted the intensity of Dhoni’s fandom.“There was [this] one instance of Dhoni trying to put his bat into the crease, and it was a very close call. And I said, well, he is clearly short of the crease, and it should be run out. They [fans] got angry with me for saying that because it was anti-Dhoni. So somewhere they lost sight of the whole picture.”Dhoni has not featured for CSK in IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain in the lead-up to the season.When asked if Dhoni’s return could ease Gaikwad’s burden, Manjrekar expressed doubts about how CSK would accommodate him in the XI.“Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? I mean, increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. So it was a bit of a joke when he used to come down the order and just play three or four balls. The coverage would hype that up as well – ‘What an innings.’ And it lasted four balls.“So that’s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term thing. So I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field, but not captaining, as opposed to M.S. not being there and he being solely in charge,” said Manjrekar.Manjrekar also drew parallels between CSK and Mumbai Indians, pointing to an overreliance on big-name players.“CSK and Mumbai Indians are slightly guilty of being emotionally connected and invested in the big-name, big-brand players a bit too much. CSK even more so with Dhoni. This means that you’re not getting people who are in their prime. It’s like living in the past a little bit. It’s just about getting guys who are in their prime in T20 cricket. It’s such a modern-day format, so it’s best to be current with everything that you do with your team,” he added.Published on Apr 20, 2026 #Sanjay #Manjrekar #slams #Dhoni #fandom #CSK #approach #Sycophancy #seeped #cricket](https://i2.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/bgffx8/article70883769.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/IMG_IPL_2024__2__2_1_JECQPB3Q.jpg?ssl=1 "Sanjay Manjrekar slams Dhoni fandom, CSK approach: “Sycophancy has seeped into cricket” Chennai Super Kings has endured a poor start to IPL 2026, winning just two of its first six matches to sit seventh on the points table.Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has come under scrutiny for the team’s struggles, with his own batting form also a concern. In six innings, he has managed only 82 runs.Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the CSK management must also shoulder the blame.“This blame, I’m going to put at the doorstep of the owners and people who make the big decisions. Because Gaikwad, before he was captain, was phenomenal at the top of the order,” said Manjrekar on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.Manjrekar added that the overwhelming fandom surrounding CSK legend M.S. Dhoni has not helped Gaikwad’s situation.“And then that thing with M.S Dhoni, whether he’s going to be playing, whether he’s going to be captain, they handled that very badly. And this is where you see the sycophancy of Indian culture that has seeped into cricket as well. I mean, there isn’t just a fan following of Dhoni, there is sycophancy around it,” he added.He also recalled an incident that highlighted the intensity of Dhoni’s fandom.“There was [this] one instance of Dhoni trying to put his bat into the crease, and it was a very close call. And I said, well, he is clearly short of the crease, and it should be run out. They [fans] got angry with me for saying that because it was anti-Dhoni. So somewhere they lost sight of the whole picture.”Dhoni has not featured for CSK in IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain in the lead-up to the season.When asked if Dhoni’s return could ease Gaikwad’s burden, Manjrekar expressed doubts about how CSK would accommodate him in the XI.“Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? I mean, increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. So it was a bit of a joke when he used to come down the order and just play three or four balls. The coverage would hype that up as well – ‘What an innings.’ And it lasted four balls.“So that’s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term thing. So I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field, but not captaining, as opposed to M.S. not being there and he being solely in charge,” said Manjrekar.Manjrekar also drew parallels between CSK and Mumbai Indians, pointing to an overreliance on big-name players.“CSK and Mumbai Indians are slightly guilty of being emotionally connected and invested in the big-name, big-brand players a bit too much. CSK even more so with Dhoni. This means that you’re not getting people who are in their prime. It’s like living in the past a little bit. It’s just about getting guys who are in their prime in T20 cricket. It’s such a modern-day format, so it’s best to be current with everything that you do with your team,” he added.Published on Apr 20, 2026 #Sanjay #Manjrekar #slams #Dhoni #fandom #CSK #approach #Sycophancy #seeped #cricket")
Sanjay Manjrekar slams Dhoni fandom, CSK approach: “Sycophancy has seeped into cricket” Chennai Super Kings has endured a poor start to IPL 2026, winning just two of its first six matches to sit seventh on the points table.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has come under scrutiny for the team’s struggles, with his own batting form also a concern. In six innings, he has managed only 82 runs.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the CSK management must also shoulder the blame.
“This blame, I’m going to put at the doorstep of the owners and people who make the big decisions. Because Gaikwad, before he was captain, was phenomenal at the top of the order,” said Manjrekar on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
Manjrekar added that the overwhelming fandom surrounding CSK legend M.S. Dhoni has not helped Gaikwad’s situation.
“And then that thing with M.S Dhoni, whether he’s going to be playing, whether he’s going to be captain, they handled that very badly. And this is where you see the sycophancy of Indian culture that has seeped into cricket as well. I mean, there isn’t just a fan following of Dhoni, there is sycophancy around it,” he added.
He also recalled an incident that highlighted the intensity of Dhoni’s fandom.
“There was [this] one instance of Dhoni trying to put his bat into the crease, and it was a very close call. And I said, well, he is clearly short of the crease, and it should be run out. They [fans] got angry with me for saying that because it was anti-Dhoni. So somewhere they lost sight of the whole picture.”
Dhoni has not featured for CSK in IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain in the lead-up to the season.
When asked if Dhoni’s return could ease Gaikwad’s burden, Manjrekar expressed doubts about how CSK would accommodate him in the XI.
“Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? I mean, increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. So it was a bit of a joke when he used to come down the order and just play three or four balls. The coverage would hype that up as well – ‘What an innings.’ And it lasted four balls.
“So that’s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term thing. So I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field, but not captaining, as opposed to M.S. not being there and he being solely in charge,” said Manjrekar.
Manjrekar also drew parallels between CSK and Mumbai Indians, pointing to an overreliance on big-name players.
“CSK and Mumbai Indians are slightly guilty of being emotionally connected and invested in the big-name, big-brand players a bit too much. CSK even more so with Dhoni. This means that you’re not getting people who are in their prime. It’s like living in the past a little bit. It’s just about getting guys who are in their prime in T20 cricket. It’s such a modern-day format, so it’s best to be current with everything that you do with your team,” he added.
Published on Apr 20, 2026
#Sanjay #Manjrekar #slams #Dhoni #fandom #CSK #approach #Sycophancy #seeped #cricket
Chennai Super Kings has endured a poor start to IPL 2026, winning just two of its first six matches to sit seventh on the points table.
Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has come under scrutiny for the team’s struggles, with his own batting form also a concern. In six innings, he has managed only 82 runs.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, however, believes the CSK management must also shoulder the blame.
“This blame, I’m going to put at the doorstep of the owners and people who make the big decisions. Because Gaikwad, before he was captain, was phenomenal at the top of the order,” said Manjrekar on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
Manjrekar added that the overwhelming fandom surrounding CSK legend M.S. Dhoni has not helped Gaikwad’s situation.
“And then that thing with M.S Dhoni, whether he’s going to be playing, whether he’s going to be captain, they handled that very badly. And this is where you see the sycophancy of Indian culture that has seeped into cricket as well. I mean, there isn’t just a fan following of Dhoni, there is sycophancy around it,” he added.
He also recalled an incident that highlighted the intensity of Dhoni’s fandom.
“There was [this] one instance of Dhoni trying to put his bat into the crease, and it was a very close call. And I said, well, he is clearly short of the crease, and it should be run out. They [fans] got angry with me for saying that because it was anti-Dhoni. So somewhere they lost sight of the whole picture.”
Dhoni has not featured for CSK in IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain in the lead-up to the season.
When asked if Dhoni’s return could ease Gaikwad’s burden, Manjrekar expressed doubts about how CSK would accommodate him in the XI.
“Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? I mean, increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. So it was a bit of a joke when he used to come down the order and just play three or four balls. The coverage would hype that up as well – ‘What an innings.’ And it lasted four balls.
“So that’s not feasible anymore, and it was never going to be a long-term thing. So I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field, but not captaining, as opposed to M.S. not being there and he being solely in charge,” said Manjrekar.
Manjrekar also drew parallels between CSK and Mumbai Indians, pointing to an overreliance on big-name players.
“CSK and Mumbai Indians are slightly guilty of being emotionally connected and invested in the big-name, big-brand players a bit too much. CSK even more so with Dhoni. This means that you’re not getting people who are in their prime. It’s like living in the past a little bit. It’s just about getting guys who are in their prime in T20 cricket. It’s such a modern-day format, so it’s best to be current with everything that you do with your team,” he added.
Published on Apr 20, 2026
![IPL 2026: Venkatesh Iyer on limited chances at RCB — Sitting in the wings doesn’t mean I am not part of the plan IPL 2026 has been a double whammy for Venkatesh Iyer. So strong is the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad that he has featured in just one of six games.And in that match, because of the Impact Player rule, the all-rounder could only showcase one of his two skills.But the 31-year-old, who played leading roles in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title dash in 2024 and the runner-up finish in 2021, remains upbeat.“I am not used to sitting out, but as someone who places the team above everything else, it’s my duty to adhere to the environment,” Venkatesh, who was signed for Rs. 7 crore, told reporters on Wednesday. “RCB is the defending champion. To tinker with a winning combination is not always the smartest move.“Sitting in the wings doesn’t mean that I am not part of the plan. I got one opportunity and I was extremely delighted that I scored (29 n.o., from 15 balls versus Rajasthan Royals). Right now, I am backing the boys 100 per cent to do the job.”Interestingly, from the 2023 season when the Impact Player rule was introduced, Venkatesh has bowled all of six balls in 41 outings.“Impact Player [rule] never stopped a Hardik [Pandya] or a [Andre] Russell or a [Sunil] Narine from bowling four overs,” Venkatesh opined. “It’s not stopping Nitish Reddy either. It actually pushes you to be the best all-rounder version that you can be.“But it does curtail the opportunity for the one- and two-over bowlers. If I am the captain, I need to figure out how to use my five [specialist] bowlers and how to give my sixth [part-time] bowler a go. But here, your sixth bowler is also a specialist bowler. So there is cushion for strategising.”Venkatesh, though, is not giving up on his bowling.“I know that I won’t be bowling four overs [in white-ball cricket]. So I try to identify someone who has played a lot of red-ball cricket.“I had Mitchell Starc [at KKR in 2024]. This year, I have Josh Hazlewood. I make it a point to have conversations because I want to win Madhya Pradesh the Ranji Trophy once again. And I know that I can do it with a ball in hand.”Published on Apr 22, 2026 #IPL #Venkatesh #Iyer #limited #chances #RCB #Sitting #wings #doesnt #part #plan](https://i1.wp.com/ss-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/gxtfyh/article70893892.ece/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1200/_DSC3856.JPG?ssl=1 "IPL 2026: Venkatesh Iyer on limited chances at RCB — Sitting in the wings doesn’t mean I am not part of the plan IPL 2026 has been a double whammy for Venkatesh Iyer. So strong is the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad that he has featured in just one of six games.And in that match, because of the Impact Player rule, the all-rounder could only showcase one of his two skills.But the 31-year-old, who played leading roles in Kolkata Knight Riders’ title dash in 2024 and the runner-up finish in 2021, remains upbeat.“I am not used to sitting out, but as someone who places the team above everything else, it’s my duty to adhere to the environment,” Venkatesh, who was signed for Rs. 7 crore, told reporters on Wednesday. “RCB is the defending champion. To tinker with a winning combination is not always the smartest move.“Sitting in the wings doesn’t mean that I am not part of the plan. I got one opportunity and I was extremely delighted that I scored (29 n.o., from 15 balls versus Rajasthan Royals). Right now, I am backing the boys 100 per cent to do the job.”Interestingly, from the 2023 season when the Impact Player rule was introduced, Venkatesh has bowled all of six balls in 41 outings.“Impact Player [rule] never stopped a Hardik [Pandya] or a [Andre] Russell or a [Sunil] Narine from bowling four overs,” Venkatesh opined. “It’s not stopping Nitish Reddy either. It actually pushes you to be the best all-rounder version that you can be.“But it does curtail the opportunity for the one- and two-over bowlers. If I am the captain, I need to figure out how to use my five [specialist] bowlers and how to give my sixth [part-time] bowler a go. But here, your sixth bowler is also a specialist bowler. So there is cushion for strategising.”Venkatesh, though, is not giving up on his bowling.“I know that I won’t be bowling four overs [in white-ball cricket]. So I try to identify someone who has played a lot of red-ball cricket.“I had Mitchell Starc [at KKR in 2024]. This year, I have Josh Hazlewood. I make it a point to have conversations because I want to win Madhya Pradesh the Ranji Trophy once again. And I know that I can do it with a ball in hand.”Published on Apr 22, 2026 #IPL #Venkatesh #Iyer #limited #chances #RCB #Sitting #wings #doesnt #part #plan")
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