'Mumbai lobby spotted' - Fans bash Sanjay Manjrekar for backing India's team selection for Super Fours match against Bangladesh

Team India are up against Bangladesh for the final Super Fours match of the Asia Cup 2023 at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Friday. The match result, however, will not make any impact as Bangladesh are already out of the tournament, while the Men in Blue have already secured their spot for Sunday's summit clash against Sri Lanka.

Looking at it as an opportunity to get more playing time and conduct some experiments ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup, which is less than a month away, India made as many as five changes to their playing XI for the clash against Bangladesh. Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who won the toss and opted to field first, said that Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj have been rested. Meanwhile, debutant Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Shami have been included as replacements.

This selection makes an important statement: Manjrekar

Fans were unhappy with the team selection as it was decided to rest key players ahead of the final match and the World Cup. However, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar saw it as an "excellent selection" and lauded the management for making an "important statement".

“Excellent selection by India. Makes an important statement. Shows that priority is Indian cricket, above everything else," Manjrekar wrote on his X (formerly known as Twitter) handle.

Shows that priority is Mumbai lobby: Twitter reacts to Manjrekar's remark 

Social media users quickly flocked to the comments section of this tweet and slammed the former middle-order batter for his response. Many fans were upset with resting Kohli for Varma, who is not a part of the World Cup squad. Suryakumar Yadav, who has yet to prove his mettle in the 50-over format, also got a chance to feature. That means four Mumbai Indians (IPL franchise) players are playing in today's match, including captain Rohit and Ishan Kishan.

"Shows that priority is Mumbai lobby. If Indian cricket was priority then they wouldn't have rested Virat Kohli who's form has been up & down. He needed more game time than this guy Tilak Verma who's not even in the squad," an Indian cricket team supporter commented on Manjrekar's post.

India's playing XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul(w), Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Prasidh Krishna

Here's how fans reacted to Sanjay Manjrekar backing India's playing XI for the Super Fours match against Bangladesh: 

Shows that priority is Mumbai lobby. If Indian cricket was priority then they wouldn't have rested Virat Kohli who's form has been up & down. He needed more game time than this guy Tilak Verma who's not even in the squad

— Pallavi (@Pallavi_paul21) September 15, 2023

Mumbai lobby trying hard to justify it to safeguard another Mumbai lobby player

— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) September 15, 2023

Guy who made century against Pakistan and not playing today is justified arey jao jao sir .. Sasta ro pr

— Puja 🥂 (@winnie_the_puja) September 15, 2023

pic.twitter.com/l1xkFCbnP7

— Shubham 🇮🇳🚩 (@DhoniKaFan07) September 15, 2023

Resting key players before final is excellent wow 😳. Don't you think your best playing 11 shouldn't be tested under the lights while chasing ? Rohit gave this reason while opting to bowl first. Your 5 players are not playing today so whom are you testing ?

— Rahul🇮🇳 (@rahulhbti08) September 15, 2023

what is the point of having great pool of players if you can't win any major tournaments in 10 years? Every Team is playing to win the ICC Tournaments or just bilaterals or few games ? We all were saying England is poor in whiteball cricket untill they won in 2019 WC.

— Rahul🇮🇳 (@rahulhbti08) September 15, 2023

Worst decision to rest Virat, he should get as many match as possible...Only Bumrah and Hardik needed rest.

— Jim Moriarty (@moriartyjim100) September 15, 2023

What's the use of Tilak in team? Unless he is in wc squad 3rd class management in the name of resting they rested him in wi series too n even now they are trying hard to break momentum of vk

— action (@Amit181718) September 15, 2023

SKY has failed in 25 games and still getting support!

Ishan is playing every game!

In an important event like Asia cup, Tilak is debuting for Team Jayshah! Resting Virat!!

Craze is unreal for MI lobby and legends leave no stones to approve it!

Shame

— Rejil kumar V.M (@VMRejilkumar) September 15, 2023

Unreal PR man.

Now i am 110% sure that everyone is trying so hard to protect and safeguard Mumbai lobby player and also some records of some other Mumbai lobby player.

— Ayush (@18kingeditz) September 15, 2023

It shows priority is Mumbai lobby. Ruining team India's future

— FCA 🏏 (@may_i_come_inn) September 15, 2023

Mumbai lobby spotted ☕🤮

— Nitesh (@Nitesh_0_) September 15, 2023