New Delhi: Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has criticized the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for their lackluster performance in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL). He also addressed the pervasive sycophancy culture within Indian cricket.
During the discussion, Manjrekar mentioned MS Dhoni, who has been sidelined due to a calf injury sustained before the start of IPL 2026. Initially expected to miss two weeks, Dhoni has not yet returned to play, with the tournament now entering its third week.
Manjrekar pointed to CSK’s management and ownership as responsible for the team’s struggles this season. “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,” he said in an interview on Sportstar’s Insight Edge podcast.
He further criticized how the franchise has handled the situation surrounding Dhoni, expressing concern over the anticipation surrounding his potential return. “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,” Manjrekar noted.
In addition, Manjrekar labeled Dhoni’s role in the previous season as “a bit of a joke.” He addressed the strategy of fielding Dhoni for brief appearances, suggesting it was no longer a viable option. “Maybe, but then you have to play Dhoni on the field. And how do you do that? Increasingly, he’s finding it tough to deliver. It was a bit of a joke when he came down the order to face three or four balls and the coverage hyped it up as ‘what an innings’. It lasted four balls,” he remarked.
Manjrekar added that this situation may have affected the morale of players like Ruturaj Gaikwad, stating, “I can’t pretend to know how Ruturaj felt when M.S. was on the field but not captaining, as opposed to not being there at all.”
