Sanjay Manjrekar IPL Remark: India's disastrous T20I tour of Ireland and England has reignited debate over whether the Indian Premier League is adequately preparing batsmen for overseas conditions. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes the blame should not fall solely on the players, arguing that the structure and conditions of the IPL deserve closer scrutiny following India's recent failures. The defending T20 world champions suffered consecutive series defeats, first going down 0-2 against Ireland before being comprehensively beaten 4-0 by England.
Challenge is for the selectors to imagine Indian batters without the heavy IPL make up on & pick only those for India.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 12, 2026
A lot of T20 cricket will be overseas now. The home fun run is over.
Taking to X, Manjrekar suggested that India's struggles stem from a system that rewards a style of batting which does not always translate to overseas cricket.
"The easy thing would be is to hold players responsible for this overseas T20 setback. The right thing would be is to hold those responsible who have made IPL such, that it puts a heavy make up on Indian batsmen."
Challenge is for the selectors to imagine Indian batters without the heavy IPL make up on & pick only those for India.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 12, 2026
A lot of T20 cricket will be overseas now. The home fun run is over.
He also urged the selectors to evaluate players beyond their IPL performances while preparing squads for overseas assignments.
"Challenge is for the selectors to imagine Indian batsmen without the heavy IPL make up on & pick only those for India. A lot of T20 cricket will be overseas now. The home fun run is over."
India's defeat in Ireland marked their first T20I series or tournament loss in three years, and the England whitewash only intensified concerns over the team's batting approach.
The IPL has been criticised for producing batting-friendly surfaces, especially in the last couple of seasons, short boundaries and conditions that encourage aggressive strokeplay.
While those factors have helped create entertaining cricket, critics argue they do little to prepare batsmen for overseas pitches where movement, bounce and disciplined bowling demand greater adaptability.
