Sanjay Manjrekar Calls for Stronger Action After Yashasvi Jaiswal’s Colombo Clash

New Delhi, August 26, 2026; Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has urged the ICC and BCCI to take a firmer approach towards incidents involving on-field confrontations after Yashasvi Jaiswal was penalised for his altercation with Sri Lankan fast bowler Asitha Fernando during the second Test in Colombo.

Manjrekar raised the issue on social media, pointing to a broader concern about how disciplinary incidents involving young cricketers are handled. He referred not only to Jaiswal’s latest case but also to an earlier confrontation involving teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during India A’s tour of Sri Lanka.

According to Manjrekar, allowing such incidents to pass without stronger intervention could have consequences for players’ conduct in the future. He stressed that maintaining discipline on the field is important not just for the image of international cricket but also for the long-term development of emerging players.

Jaiswal and Fernando were both found to have violated Article 2.12 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which covers inappropriate physical contact during an international match. The two players were each fined 25 per cent of their match fees and handed one demerit point.

The incident took place during the opening day of the second Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Fernando dismissed Jaiswal during India’s innings, following which the two players became involved in a verbal exchange. The confrontation escalated when they moved towards each other and made head-to-head contact.

Both players admitted the breach and accepted the sanctions issued by Andy Pycroft, a member of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees. As a result, the matter did not require a formal disciplinary hearing.

Manjrekar’s concerns also stem from an earlier incident involving Sooryavanshi in India A’s match against Sri Lanka A in Dambulla on June 15. Following a tied 50-over contest that Sri Lanka A won in the Super Over, Sooryavanshi and Sri Lanka A player Vishen Halambage were involved in a heated exchange.

The situation reportedly turned physical as the players left the field, with the two seen pushing each other before Sri Lanka wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella stepped in to separate them.

The latest episode involving Jaiswal and Fernando has therefore renewed discussion around player behaviour and discipline in competitive cricket. With the second Test forming part of the ongoing World Test Championship, Manjrekar’s remarks have put renewed focus on the need for players, particularly younger ones, to manage confrontations more responsibly on the field.