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Imperfect
A memoir like no other, from a cricketing expert known for speaking his mind
This book is about me, my cricket career, my life. My strengths and weaknesses, my successes and failures. Every individual lives a uniquely different life. Life stories are always interesting. No one leads an uneventful life. Having been a sportsman, I also want young, aspiring sportsmen to learn from my career. Like a father once said to his 'I made twenty mistakes in my life, you'll make twenty new ones.' In Imperfect, Sanjay Manjrekar uses his famous analytical powers to look back on his own career as a cricketer. His photographic memory takes the reader along on his journey from the dusty maidans of Mumbai to the world stage as the combative batsman faces up to the fearsome West Indian and Pakistani pace attacks. In his precise plainspeak, Sanjay reflects on his father Vijay Manjrekar and the effects of his personality on his game. He comments on the complex equations with the India greats with whom he shared the dressing room, and on the lessons learnt from his opponents. He also reveals his own excruciating obsession with batting technique, the quest for perfection, and the battle to shake off his mental shackles. Imperfect sets a new standard for cricket writing in India, with significant life lessons even for those who aren't cricket fans.
This book is about me, my cricket career, my life. My strengths and weaknesses, my successes and failures. Every individual lives a uniquely different life. Life stories are always interesting. No one leads an uneventful life. Having been a sportsman, I also want young, aspiring sportsmen to learn from my career. Like a father once said to his 'I made twenty mistakes in my life, you'll make twenty new ones.' In Imperfect, Sanjay Manjrekar uses his famous analytical powers to look back on his own career as a cricketer. His photographic memory takes the reader along on his journey from the dusty maidans of Mumbai to the world stage as the combative batsman faces up to the fearsome West Indian and Pakistani pace attacks. In his precise plainspeak, Sanjay reflects on his father Vijay Manjrekar and the effects of his personality on his game. He comments on the complex equations with the India greats with whom he shared the dressing room, and on the lessons learnt from his opponents. He also reveals his own excruciating obsession with batting technique, the quest for perfection, and the battle to shake off his mental shackles. Imperfect sets a new standard for cricket writing in India, with significant life lessons even for those who aren't cricket fans.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
February 10, 2018
I'm too young to have anything but faint memories of Manjrekar the batsman from the 1996 World Cup, but I've always found him a proficient commentator (not exceptional by any means) and a columnist not afraid to speak his mind. Imperfect takes more from Manjrekar the columnist than Manjrekar the batsman. Autobiographies can be a bit of a drag which promise more than they deliver, unless you're a huge fan and interested in knowing every detail of the persons life (and let's be honest here - no one worships SM in 2017, so that's unlikely).
I will now channel my inner-MBA to give 4 reasons as to why Imperfect is likely one of the better autobiographies to come out of Indian Sport (or at least Indian Cricket).
1) Not a hagiography: Too many autobiographies (and movies these days) suffer from rosy-retrospection, where everything looks good in the past and the fault is never with the subject. Manjrekar is self-deprecatory throughout to a fault and critical of himself where necessary. He has a great ability to introspect (even if in hindsight) and self-awareness. The only place where I felt this went missing was in the final chapter about commentary, but we'll come to that later.
2) Opinionated : Manjrekar pulls no punches while giving his opinions about family, people, events and cultures. Again, often autobiographies can end up being history lessons recounting event after event *cough* Tendulkar *cough*. From match-fixing, to not-so-pleasant relationships with legends, past and current colleagues - it's all in there in a neutral tone.
3) Length & Content : An autobiography does not have to lay threadbare *every* detail of your life. Manjrekar has cleverly focussed on some key events which readers may want to know about. His famous father, domestic cricket, key tours he was part of, the Indian teams of the 90's and their issues, the 1996 world cup, early retirement and commentary. We're spared details of his love life, his kids (I admire the fundamental regard for privacy) and every series that he plays. This makes it a crisp read, almost one that leaves you wanting more.
4) Gossip : Okay, that's honestly the number 1 reason why we all read autobiographies don't we? (Maybe being inspired is #2). To know behind-the-scenes stuff, the seedy underbelly of the life of the stars we see on the screen, to hope that they will take of the mask which they're forced to wear.
And there's plenty of that here, especially for anyone who grew up with Indian cricket stars of the 1990's and beyond. Lots which we wouldn't have heard of before *slurp*
In addition I also liked the chapter on commentary - it's a great background to what is one of the most important but also most taken-for-granted parts of watching sport on TV. Was nice to have more context and appreciation for these folks and their skills. My minor nitpick here would be that Manjrekar seems to rate himself as a better commentator than most other people would think him to be and I'm surprised here that the self-awareness has fallen through. He's trolled excessively on social media for his gaffes (unjustifiably so IMO, since he's definitely better than most others in the Indian commentary panel) and he surely would be aware of it. I would have liked to hear him say more about that, how commentators deal with criticism, how they end up making enemies because they call out peoples hero's when they fall short. (The one star also goes out for the price - for a 200 odd page book this was definitely priced a couple of hundred rupees too high)
But apart from the minor quibble a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching read.
I will now channel my inner-MBA to give 4 reasons as to why Imperfect is likely one of the better autobiographies to come out of Indian Sport (or at least Indian Cricket).
1) Not a hagiography: Too many autobiographies (and movies these days) suffer from rosy-retrospection, where everything looks good in the past and the fault is never with the subject. Manjrekar is self-deprecatory throughout to a fault and critical of himself where necessary. He has a great ability to introspect (even if in hindsight) and self-awareness. The only place where I felt this went missing was in the final chapter about commentary, but we'll come to that later.
2) Opinionated : Manjrekar pulls no punches while giving his opinions about family, people, events and cultures. Again, often autobiographies can end up being history lessons recounting event after event *cough* Tendulkar *cough*. From match-fixing, to not-so-pleasant relationships with legends, past and current colleagues - it's all in there in a neutral tone.
3) Length & Content : An autobiography does not have to lay threadbare *every* detail of your life. Manjrekar has cleverly focussed on some key events which readers may want to know about. His famous father, domestic cricket, key tours he was part of, the Indian teams of the 90's and their issues, the 1996 world cup, early retirement and commentary. We're spared details of his love life, his kids (I admire the fundamental regard for privacy) and every series that he plays. This makes it a crisp read, almost one that leaves you wanting more.
4) Gossip : Okay, that's honestly the number 1 reason why we all read autobiographies don't we? (Maybe being inspired is #2). To know behind-the-scenes stuff, the seedy underbelly of the life of the stars we see on the screen, to hope that they will take of the mask which they're forced to wear.
And there's plenty of that here, especially for anyone who grew up with Indian cricket stars of the 1990's and beyond. Lots which we wouldn't have heard of before *slurp*
In addition I also liked the chapter on commentary - it's a great background to what is one of the most important but also most taken-for-granted parts of watching sport on TV. Was nice to have more context and appreciation for these folks and their skills. My minor nitpick here would be that Manjrekar seems to rate himself as a better commentator than most other people would think him to be and I'm surprised here that the self-awareness has fallen through. He's trolled excessively on social media for his gaffes (unjustifiably so IMO, since he's definitely better than most others in the Indian commentary panel) and he surely would be aware of it. I would have liked to hear him say more about that, how commentators deal with criticism, how they end up making enemies because they call out peoples hero's when they fall short. (The one star also goes out for the price - for a 200 odd page book this was definitely priced a couple of hundred rupees too high)
But apart from the minor quibble a thoroughly enjoyable and enriching read.
July 27, 2018
We always read autobiographies of successful and famous people. I started this book intending to read about someone average. He actually describes about his journey from success to failure in cricket and to success again in commentary. Half a star extra for Manjrekar's writing style.
July 10, 2018
Imperfect is about as best an Indian cricket based autobiography will ever get. While most (auto) biographies are mere cricketing stats collections or glory tales this book describes a man, his cricket, his struggles and his self doubts just like every single one of us mere mortals.
Sanjay Manjrekar was the miracle that never happened. The Dravid that never materialised. His relationship with cricket is pure romance with no consummation. Sanjay readily acknowledges this and has no qualms about the fact that he has under-achieved. He paints a beautiful but sad picture of how the Indian team dressing room was in the early 90s compared to the turn of the century. Every cricket fan can relate to this. For me it is the difference between day and night, how the Indian team of the 90s would barely compete and have no self-belief compared to the current team where Ambati Rayudu, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are warming the benches.
He also describes his mental struggles in depth and how he obsessed with technique and how that never translated into runs. It is also clear how much he misses the mumbai dressing room. When he moved from Ranji to International level he was expecting a mumbai like team atmosphere but perhaps never got used to the Indian team atmosphere which was entrenched in their north-west divide.
If you are going to read only one cricket based book you should read this.
Sanjay Manjrekar was the miracle that never happened. The Dravid that never materialised. His relationship with cricket is pure romance with no consummation. Sanjay readily acknowledges this and has no qualms about the fact that he has under-achieved. He paints a beautiful but sad picture of how the Indian team dressing room was in the early 90s compared to the turn of the century. Every cricket fan can relate to this. For me it is the difference between day and night, how the Indian team of the 90s would barely compete and have no self-belief compared to the current team where Ambati Rayudu, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant are warming the benches.
He also describes his mental struggles in depth and how he obsessed with technique and how that never translated into runs. It is also clear how much he misses the mumbai dressing room. When he moved from Ranji to International level he was expecting a mumbai like team atmosphere but perhaps never got used to the Indian team atmosphere which was entrenched in their north-west divide.
If you are going to read only one cricket based book you should read this.
March 12, 2018
I was never a Manjrekar fan - neither batting nor commentary. I picked this book to understand what went wrong in the 90s with Indian cricket. The book provided that and much more. You understand how Mumbai looks after a budding cricketer, petty dressing room politics during the 90s, the backdrop of the lost 1996 world cup semifinal, the pathetic attitude of Indian teams when traveling overseas etc.
This is a brutally honest biography and the man criticizes himself with a bird's eye view. It takes guts to admit that he was never in love with the game and was more interested in the associated fame.
I was reminded of Gandhi's 'My experiments with truth' in the way he criticizes his shortcomings. For example, he writes "Cricket still holds a great interest for me, even if it’s only in a way any job does for a working professional.". Sachin and Sanjay both had a flying start to their career at almost the same time, and Sanjay succeeds in analyzing why Sachin's work ethic (other than his prodigious talent) got him so far while him taking it a bit easy cost his place.
All in all, a brilliant read for the cricket fans, especially those who have felt the frustration of the 90s. Sanjay Manjrekar has earned my respect with this book
This is a brutally honest biography and the man criticizes himself with a bird's eye view. It takes guts to admit that he was never in love with the game and was more interested in the associated fame.
I was reminded of Gandhi's 'My experiments with truth' in the way he criticizes his shortcomings. For example, he writes "Cricket still holds a great interest for me, even if it’s only in a way any job does for a working professional.". Sachin and Sanjay both had a flying start to their career at almost the same time, and Sanjay succeeds in analyzing why Sachin's work ethic (other than his prodigious talent) got him so far while him taking it a bit easy cost his place.
All in all, a brilliant read for the cricket fans, especially those who have felt the frustration of the 90s. Sanjay Manjrekar has earned my respect with this book
March 26, 2018
Well, whenever I saw Manjrekar batting with Tendulkar; I couldn’t differentiate between the two. IMO, Manjrekar had everything to become a successful batsman, but the script didn’t really go that way. In his book, he’s been brazenly candid and has penned down everything that was happening in Indian cricketing circles during the 90s. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. No cricket romantic will ever feel bored reading this book. Well done Sanjay !!
January 28, 2018
Instead of the usual memoirs of achievers, here is a self-introspective autobiography by a cricketer who is known now as a commentator biased towards Mumbai cricketers. A book on a mediocre career is welcome but if the writing is also mediocre, what to do ?
January 17, 2018
Finished this in a couple of hours. To be honest, the most surprisingly honest bits were already revealed in the excerpts published in many places online. The rest of it, especially those devoted to his repeated tortured attempts at making a comeback to the top of the game, aren't very new. Though they do have the authenticity, coming from the horse's mouth so to speak. I did love the bits about the Mumbai cricket culture and how people (even some like the much maligned, and for good reasons, Shastri) from Mumbai were cricket purists in that they were happy at identifying and appreciating cricket talent. Same goes for the stories about the west Indian cricketers (Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards if you must know) which brought both a smile to my face as well as a tear to my eyes. People who just wanted the good of the game even if it's a competitor. Different times. This is a slim book and would have been simpler if some of the repetitiveness had been avoided. Sanjay also covers his regional cricket matches as much as his international matches. I would have liked to read more about his international matches (including his odi matches) though some of the matches he mentions were a surprise to me. (I had forgotten, for instance, that he was part of the 1996 world cup team or that his last match was against the south Africans). Sanjay is also one of the better observers of the game (Aakash Chopra being the other among the Indians) and I enjoyed reading his analysis of some of the technical issues that crept into his game. He is also, self admittedly, someone who just aims to communicate and not to entertain with his command of the language so a lot of the book is rather sparse. But in that sparseness you do feel for a man who could have been more, more than just a contender for the title of one of the best batsmen of his time. Which is what he was for a brief period in the early 90s. In all, an enjoyable, honest bio.
March 10, 2019
Refreshing, searing honesty
Sanjay Manjrekar’s autobiography stands out from most other sportspersons’ self-portraits in the honesty of its self-analysis. This honesty is seen in is his surprising admission that his main motivation was his love for the limelight rather than that for the sport itself. It is evident in his admission of his tendency to over-analyse his technique, which led to increased mental confusion which showed up in indecisive footwork at the crease. Paralysis through over analysis is something that some of us have been guilty of, and yet it takes courage to admit not to having the ability to shed the crutches of analysis and play by instinct even though it may have been the right thing to do.
Manjrekar is also very frank when discussing his childhood and the brooding presence of his father, the celebrated Vijay Manjrekar. And the same honesty is impressively seen in his examples of incidents where he was being somewhat selfish and looking to his self-interest, something that one very very rarely hears sportsmen admitting to.
The selfishness was symptomatic of Indian cricket until the Nineties, as shown in many examples. Manjrekar is frank about acknowledging the North/West division in the dressing room and in the Indian team, and the barely veiled animosity between Delhi and Bombay players, which only ended with the captaincy of Azhar, the rise of Karnataka players (both unaffiliated to either Bombay or Delhi) and Sachin Tendulkar (simply a genius).
While Manjrekar’s tendency to over-analyse may have hindered him as a batsman, this quality is perhaps very beneficial for him in his second career as a television commentator. The last part of the book is typically insightful in his analysis of what makes for good television commentary, the preparation required, and anecdotes about his broadcasting career.
Sanjay Manjrekar’s autobiography stands out from most other sportspersons’ self-portraits in the honesty of its self-analysis. This honesty is seen in is his surprising admission that his main motivation was his love for the limelight rather than that for the sport itself. It is evident in his admission of his tendency to over-analyse his technique, which led to increased mental confusion which showed up in indecisive footwork at the crease. Paralysis through over analysis is something that some of us have been guilty of, and yet it takes courage to admit not to having the ability to shed the crutches of analysis and play by instinct even though it may have been the right thing to do.
Manjrekar is also very frank when discussing his childhood and the brooding presence of his father, the celebrated Vijay Manjrekar. And the same honesty is impressively seen in his examples of incidents where he was being somewhat selfish and looking to his self-interest, something that one very very rarely hears sportsmen admitting to.
The selfishness was symptomatic of Indian cricket until the Nineties, as shown in many examples. Manjrekar is frank about acknowledging the North/West division in the dressing room and in the Indian team, and the barely veiled animosity between Delhi and Bombay players, which only ended with the captaincy of Azhar, the rise of Karnataka players (both unaffiliated to either Bombay or Delhi) and Sachin Tendulkar (simply a genius).
While Manjrekar’s tendency to over-analyse may have hindered him as a batsman, this quality is perhaps very beneficial for him in his second career as a television commentator. The last part of the book is typically insightful in his analysis of what makes for good television commentary, the preparation required, and anecdotes about his broadcasting career.
January 27, 2018
Manjrekar is someone I admired for a long time as commentator who spoke his mind and was largely out of the commentary cabal owned by the BCCI. He might have slowly joined that league now but he still seems like one of the better commentators among the current lot.
The book however is extremely candid and informative. I was primarily intrigued by this book to know more about Indian cricket in the late 80's and mid 90's before the emergence of the superstar Fab 5. I followed cricket even then but I was not privy to a lot of information regarding the attitudes of the cricketers within the team. This book exposes a lot of that information and also does a deep dive into the mind of Sanjay Manjrekar.
One of the best attributes of this book is that although it is linear, it is not a complete auto-biography like a lot of other books that other retired cricketers write where they detail every single little incident starting from when they were born. Sanjay keeps a fast pace and is light on the detail about his early life but explains a lot about the incidents during his cricketing days which I was more interested in. The other thing I personally liked about the book is that It was written by him and not ghost written like most other cricketer written books. It gives a certain authenticity to it.
I would recommend this to cricket fan who is interested in knowing more about the pre-superstar Indian cricket team where the whole country depended on Sachin Tendulkar to guide us home every game and was wondering what the others in the team were thinking/doing.
The book however is extremely candid and informative. I was primarily intrigued by this book to know more about Indian cricket in the late 80's and mid 90's before the emergence of the superstar Fab 5. I followed cricket even then but I was not privy to a lot of information regarding the attitudes of the cricketers within the team. This book exposes a lot of that information and also does a deep dive into the mind of Sanjay Manjrekar.
One of the best attributes of this book is that although it is linear, it is not a complete auto-biography like a lot of other books that other retired cricketers write where they detail every single little incident starting from when they were born. Sanjay keeps a fast pace and is light on the detail about his early life but explains a lot about the incidents during his cricketing days which I was more interested in. The other thing I personally liked about the book is that It was written by him and not ghost written like most other cricketer written books. It gives a certain authenticity to it.
I would recommend this to cricket fan who is interested in knowing more about the pre-superstar Indian cricket team where the whole country depended on Sachin Tendulkar to guide us home every game and was wondering what the others in the team were thinking/doing.
April 1, 2018
3.5/5 This book has been recommended by podcasts as refreshingly honest and hence self-critical. And indeed, this book is rare in this aspect among Indian autobiographies.
As a teenager the first sports autobiographies/memoirs I read were the quartret by Sunil Gavaskar. While those books were quite interesting and quite honest in putting the blame on others, Gavaskar exonerated himself of even scoring 36* in a 60 over ODI despite being the opener. Ditto for a couple of dozen sports autobiographies I have read. So, yes, Manjrekar’s book was refreshingly different.
For a brief 2-3 years from Gavaskar’s retirement to Tendulkar’s rise in 1991, Manjrekar was India’s best test batsman. Unfortunately, the team was so pathetic in the late 80s that India’s best was not world-class. And then for 5 years from 1991 to Dravid’s debut, he was mediocre and hoping to be a solid prolific scorer as Dravid was later. He kept failing. But once in a while when he did click, he was very elegant and a delight to watch.
The book ended abruptly and was short. Also, even the chapters seemed to end abruptly. But, overall written in an interesting way and must-read for cricket fans.
As a teenager the first sports autobiographies/memoirs I read were the quartret by Sunil Gavaskar. While those books were quite interesting and quite honest in putting the blame on others, Gavaskar exonerated himself of even scoring 36* in a 60 over ODI despite being the opener. Ditto for a couple of dozen sports autobiographies I have read. So, yes, Manjrekar’s book was refreshingly different.
For a brief 2-3 years from Gavaskar’s retirement to Tendulkar’s rise in 1991, Manjrekar was India’s best test batsman. Unfortunately, the team was so pathetic in the late 80s that India’s best was not world-class. And then for 5 years from 1991 to Dravid’s debut, he was mediocre and hoping to be a solid prolific scorer as Dravid was later. He kept failing. But once in a while when he did click, he was very elegant and a delight to watch.
The book ended abruptly and was short. Also, even the chapters seemed to end abruptly. But, overall written in an interesting way and must-read for cricket fans.
February 21, 2018
I enjoyed reading Sanjay Manjrekar’s ‘Imperfect’. For a cricket fan, this book offers lot of things beyond just cricket. I always like enjoy reading about making of a cricketer, especially Mumbai cricketer. The chapters about Sanjay Manjrekar’s struggle and retirement offers quite an insight about how a sportsman suffers when he loses his form and underperforms. As an armchair critic it is always easy to blame the players who are not performing, but Sanjay Manjrekar’s narration of his experiences helps understand a layman the mindset of the suffering sportsman.
Another interesting part that I enjoyed thoroughly is about his career as a commentator. As a cricket spectator who is watching cricket on TV, one is always overwhelmed by the cricket the sport and rarely notices the efforts commentators take to do their job. Sanjay Manjrekar’s stories about commentary, match analysis show productions are fun to read and quite informative for cricket fans. The book added to my manifold pleasures that I derive from the magical sport of cricket!
Another interesting part that I enjoyed thoroughly is about his career as a commentator. As a cricket spectator who is watching cricket on TV, one is always overwhelmed by the cricket the sport and rarely notices the efforts commentators take to do their job. Sanjay Manjrekar’s stories about commentary, match analysis show productions are fun to read and quite informative for cricket fans. The book added to my manifold pleasures that I derive from the magical sport of cricket!
March 4, 2018
Started with a bang and somewhere it got lost in a whimper.
The positives are that the author has been candid about his life. I loved the chapter where he speaks about his family. It is really written with a lot of emotion. We always thought he was an unrealised potential but in this book he has put that thought to rest. Considering he hardly loved what he did, his record is a phenomenal achievement.
Yet, the cricket fan in me was looking for a lot more tales, especially about Mumbai cricket as well that era of 90s when we had a struggling team. There is no mention about the 1992 World Cup campaign too.
Not sure if the book version has any pictures but my kindle version surely did not have any. What is an autobiography without pictures?
The book does live up to its title of being imperfect!
The positives are that the author has been candid about his life. I loved the chapter where he speaks about his family. It is really written with a lot of emotion. We always thought he was an unrealised potential but in this book he has put that thought to rest. Considering he hardly loved what he did, his record is a phenomenal achievement.
Yet, the cricket fan in me was looking for a lot more tales, especially about Mumbai cricket as well that era of 90s when we had a struggling team. There is no mention about the 1992 World Cup campaign too.
Not sure if the book version has any pictures but my kindle version surely did not have any. What is an autobiography without pictures?
The book does live up to its title of being imperfect!
September 21, 2018
Every word in this short autobiography of commentator and former Indian Cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar serves to show his direct and blunt nature. There are no long winding paras on the ‘beauty of the game’ or ‘ethereal experiences’, rather Sanjay focuses on conveying his feelings and unabashed opinion on the Indian Cricketing Culture and his experience dealing with it on various levels. The most remarkable aspect of this book is Manjrekar’s unapologetic depiction of Cricket not as a passion for him but rather a means of achieving the dreams of fame he had since childhood. This admission of ‘disdain for the sport’ is not one expects when reading a sports biography. Only one chapter is dedicated to Manjrekar’s experiences as a commentator, a side of him I would’ve liked to know more.
September 5, 2018
Sanju Manju is not the brilliant cricketer who needs to write an autobiography. A career that is far from what could be termed as successful, he goes on to write on it. He doesn't call himself an underachiever. He accepts what he thinks is reality. It is one in which he would carry the tag of a 'mediocre' cricketer. He realises it probably only after he had hung his boots. I somewhere get an idea from his writing (which itself is only average), that he thinks himself to be a good commentator. Time will make him realise this to be mediocre too. The book is good in some parts, but on the whole, 'imperfect' is not just imperfect, it is disappointing too.
May 2, 2018
I believe Sanjay Manjrekar was one of the finest players of fast bowling that India has ever produced. I was immensely disappointed when he didn't go on to fulfill the promise he showed in his first 15 Tests - I thought he'd score at least 7000 runs in Tests and an equal number in ODIs. He didn't come even close. In this book, he tries to help us understand why this is the case. I think Che Pujara should read this book. If Pujara isn't careful about being too careful, he could end up with a cricket career similar to Manjrekar's.
February 1, 2018
This is an honest book. It is almost as if he was analysing the life of somebody else. He talks about how difficult his father had become after retiring from cricket, the problems his mother faced, his own arrogance when he became the Mumbai Ranji captain and so on. He names everyone he praises and does not name people he criticises. An interesting book to read for cricket lovers.
August 11, 2019
Sanjay Manjrekar has been in the eye of the storm off late, due to some arguably unwarranted criticism of current players. But as they say, it doesn't hurt to be a newsmaker even for the wrong reasons. And occasionally, it may even help your bank balance! When Ravindra Jadeja shot back at the former cricketer to flag off a social media battle, with the likes of Ganguly, Rohit Sharma & Michael Vaughan joining in the party, I couldn't help wondering just what has reduced this moderately successful cricketer and a sports broadcasting regular, to become the laughing stock of cricketers and fans alike. I felt we should hear his side of the story too. Amazon prime did the rest!
'Imperfect' is slightly on the shorter side compared to others in the same genre. 200 pages is all it takes for Manjrekar to enunciate his journey from the time he was a talented and driven star-kid navigating the vicissitudes of age-group & first class cricket, through to making a mark on the big stage and subsequently dealing with self-imposed limitations, external pressures, media expectations, unhelpful comparisons, and an obsession with technique over genuine output. He also touches upon his personal life with refreshing candour, and his attempts at making peace with a cricketing career that eventually flattered to deceive. A few notable points are brought out, which might just force the typical arm-chair critic to hold horses before ripping him apart the next time we are treated to yet another of his unorthodox critiques!
Manjrekar is brave to open up about his unhealthy relationship with his father, the yester-year star batsman Vijay. This could well be denounced as a case of washing dirty linen in public, but the constricting impact of an overwhelmingly strong personality on a sensitive third-born cannot be ignored! The deep impressions created by his father's cricketing fame and volatile temper alike, seemed to have chased Sanjay throughout his time in the white flannels. And while his old man's connections ensured that he could be in the right place at the right time, a privilege not available to the majority of his peers slugging it out in the 'maidans' of Mumbai, Manjrekar implicitly acknowledges his relentless pursuit to come out of his father's shadows. To forge a unique identity for himself! And opts for technical perfection as his path to Nirvana.
The rank viewer of today is fed on a diet of instant gratification, and therefore might lack the taste for the hard graft of Test match cricket, which is where Manjrekar earned his stripes. By all yardsticks, centuries on away tours of West Indies and Pakistan - against the 80s giants likes Ambrose, Walsh, Marshall, Imran, Wasim, Waqar and Qadir - all prior to hitting 25 years, are monumental achievements not to be scoffed at! Manjrekar, however, seems to have fallen into the trap of taking others too seriously. It commences when the media labels him as the next big thing (note that the Tendulkar we know of, was still a work-in-progress), which leads him into forming unreasonable expectations of himself. The problems are further augmented when he attempts to implement the well-meaning suggestions of 'experts' without being fully aware of his own limitations. The confluence of a scrambled mind, a disturbed emotional state as well as external expectations, leaves him stranded in no man's land, both literally and metaphorically. The career never really sees an upswing, despite several false starts, and the emergence of a certain Rahul Dravid (undoubtedly one of the most intense & technically correct batsmen the country has ever produced), implies that Manjrekar's case is now on the back-burner. The reluctance to grit it out any further at the relatively young age of 32, implies that he can finally step off the roller-coaster.
It is the bitterness & sense of despair, arising out of collateral damage from unfulfilled ambitions, that routinely churns its way out in the scathing criticism & off-beat observations - read 'verbal diarrhoea'!
Manjrekar goes to pains to emphasize that cricket is not his first passion, despite being the means to pay his bills. That hallowed space is reserved for music & entertainment. As for his major motivation in life, it is fame, recognition & respect. He doesn't mince words in politically correct speak. His post-retirement association with cricket is not because he wants to 'give something back to the game'. He is found in the media box, simply because it is a ticket to distinguishing himself from the man on the street, something he claims his father struggled with!
Given the interesting side-show to the 2019 World Cup, he has certainly achieved his objective of staying in the news! Perhaps that will give him peace, more than twenty years after hanging up his bat!
'Imperfect' is slightly on the shorter side compared to others in the same genre. 200 pages is all it takes for Manjrekar to enunciate his journey from the time he was a talented and driven star-kid navigating the vicissitudes of age-group & first class cricket, through to making a mark on the big stage and subsequently dealing with self-imposed limitations, external pressures, media expectations, unhelpful comparisons, and an obsession with technique over genuine output. He also touches upon his personal life with refreshing candour, and his attempts at making peace with a cricketing career that eventually flattered to deceive. A few notable points are brought out, which might just force the typical arm-chair critic to hold horses before ripping him apart the next time we are treated to yet another of his unorthodox critiques!
Manjrekar is brave to open up about his unhealthy relationship with his father, the yester-year star batsman Vijay. This could well be denounced as a case of washing dirty linen in public, but the constricting impact of an overwhelmingly strong personality on a sensitive third-born cannot be ignored! The deep impressions created by his father's cricketing fame and volatile temper alike, seemed to have chased Sanjay throughout his time in the white flannels. And while his old man's connections ensured that he could be in the right place at the right time, a privilege not available to the majority of his peers slugging it out in the 'maidans' of Mumbai, Manjrekar implicitly acknowledges his relentless pursuit to come out of his father's shadows. To forge a unique identity for himself! And opts for technical perfection as his path to Nirvana.
The rank viewer of today is fed on a diet of instant gratification, and therefore might lack the taste for the hard graft of Test match cricket, which is where Manjrekar earned his stripes. By all yardsticks, centuries on away tours of West Indies and Pakistan - against the 80s giants likes Ambrose, Walsh, Marshall, Imran, Wasim, Waqar and Qadir - all prior to hitting 25 years, are monumental achievements not to be scoffed at! Manjrekar, however, seems to have fallen into the trap of taking others too seriously. It commences when the media labels him as the next big thing (note that the Tendulkar we know of, was still a work-in-progress), which leads him into forming unreasonable expectations of himself. The problems are further augmented when he attempts to implement the well-meaning suggestions of 'experts' without being fully aware of his own limitations. The confluence of a scrambled mind, a disturbed emotional state as well as external expectations, leaves him stranded in no man's land, both literally and metaphorically. The career never really sees an upswing, despite several false starts, and the emergence of a certain Rahul Dravid (undoubtedly one of the most intense & technically correct batsmen the country has ever produced), implies that Manjrekar's case is now on the back-burner. The reluctance to grit it out any further at the relatively young age of 32, implies that he can finally step off the roller-coaster.
It is the bitterness & sense of despair, arising out of collateral damage from unfulfilled ambitions, that routinely churns its way out in the scathing criticism & off-beat observations - read 'verbal diarrhoea'!
Manjrekar goes to pains to emphasize that cricket is not his first passion, despite being the means to pay his bills. That hallowed space is reserved for music & entertainment. As for his major motivation in life, it is fame, recognition & respect. He doesn't mince words in politically correct speak. His post-retirement association with cricket is not because he wants to 'give something back to the game'. He is found in the media box, simply because it is a ticket to distinguishing himself from the man on the street, something he claims his father struggled with!
Given the interesting side-show to the 2019 World Cup, he has certainly achieved his objective of staying in the news! Perhaps that will give him peace, more than twenty years after hanging up his bat!
July 22, 2019
A mediocre batsman then. A mediocre commentator now. An apt title for his autobiography would have been 'Mediocre', instead of 'Imperfect'. (But then, that would be too self-defeating, I guess.) Though mediocre in his two avatars, that's not the adjective that comes to mind when I try to describe his book. It's almost perfect (well..) in reliving Indian cricket of the 90s.. you know, those times when it was the perfect time to be Sachin Tendulkar and not much anybody else. Manjrekar gets endearingly candid about several cricketers of his time. It was genuinely interesting to read all that and relive that bygone era. He doesn't get that candid about Tendulkar though. Either because he doesn't have much to offer that we don't already know. Or because he knows he can't badmouth Tendulkar and still be popular. I think it's the latter. He plays it safe there and it's kind of a downer. To me, the 'Mumbai' spirit that seeps into his IPL commentary and the 'India' spirit during the international matches is plain disgusting, but in his autobiography he appears level-headed while coming straight from the heart.The whole book is like a well-timed defensive shot that made it to the boundary. Recommended.
January 13, 2018
Let me caveat my review by saying right away that I hardly ever read biographies. I am generally interested in an individual's art rather than this life experiences. However, when I came across the announcement of this book, it did get me interested. The reasons for that interest were two-folds:
- The events in this book belong to an era of cricket (90s) when I was one of the passionate, emotionally engaged, "cricket crazy" fans that India is known for. Starting with the match fixing scandal of early 2000s, my interest in cricket has steadily waned to a point that I barely watch any cricket nowadays.
- I was interested in Manjrekar's career as a cricketer back when he used to be one. The reasons there were more driven by his technique than his performances. I always enjoyed watching gritty, determined players as well as ones with solid defensive techniques. Both these qualities Manjrekar possessed in abundance.
Highlights of the book for me:
• While reflecting on his strengths as a commentator, Sanjay mentions that he utilizes language for its primary function of expressing rather than to impress. That effect prevails in his writing too. He brings alive the Mumbai cricketing scene and culture and more importantly, what is like to come of age amidst it. That surely took me on a nostalgia trip back to the days growing up in Mumbai. On the whole, the book was an easy read and I breezed through it in a matter of few days
• Sanjay is sometimes too analytical for his own good but when it came to dissecting his technique, strengths and challenges later on in his career, He lays it out well. It is interesting to be inside the head of a cricketer and understand what’s happening in his mind as the unfolds on the field.
• A particular section of the book I was looking forward to was his experiences with his contemporaries, some of whom – Jadeja, Azhar, Dravid – were my favorites too. Sanjay didn’t disappoint. He lays it out as it is while retelling his interactions with his cricketing peers. Though he does soften the blow by adding in some positives to end his more critical takes on colleagues. It was also good to read the behind the scenes of the 1996 world cup semifinal loss to Sri Lanka which had affected me deeply back in the days.
• Finally, as a bonus to this readers, Sanjay brings his personal life to the fore. It would have been difficult to objectively analyze and verbalize the relationship with his Dad but he does justice to it too.
What didn’t work for me?
• Sanjay goes out of his way and beats to death the conclusion that he was never a true aficionado of the game of Cricket but more so in there for the fame of it. This may be true to a certain extent but to me it also seemed like someone trying to rationalize his past based on how the future turned out. Contradictory is also the fact that in cricket commentary he found this true calling which is a different art than playing but still centers around Cricket. If the game didn’t fascinate him, he will have a hard time enjoying any of it. Well, in one vulnerable statement to end a chapter he does admit that “he loved the game a little after all”. It may been more than a little I suspect but well Sanjay the writer is not too unlike Sanjay the cricketer, even a top defense has its flaws.
• I never really followed Sanjay Manjrekar the commentator so that one chapter didn’t resonate with me but obviously that’s something specific to my interests. Given the fact that he has been commenting for top sports channels makes me believe he is more than good at it and fans of that part of this career will relish the details there.
Overall, two thumps to Sanjay and his book. This is an engaging, well-articulated book that leaves you with a hint of nostalgia but a lot of perspective on the world of Mumbai and Indian cricket and one of its star with a rather checkered career.
- The events in this book belong to an era of cricket (90s) when I was one of the passionate, emotionally engaged, "cricket crazy" fans that India is known for. Starting with the match fixing scandal of early 2000s, my interest in cricket has steadily waned to a point that I barely watch any cricket nowadays.
- I was interested in Manjrekar's career as a cricketer back when he used to be one. The reasons there were more driven by his technique than his performances. I always enjoyed watching gritty, determined players as well as ones with solid defensive techniques. Both these qualities Manjrekar possessed in abundance.
Highlights of the book for me:
• While reflecting on his strengths as a commentator, Sanjay mentions that he utilizes language for its primary function of expressing rather than to impress. That effect prevails in his writing too. He brings alive the Mumbai cricketing scene and culture and more importantly, what is like to come of age amidst it. That surely took me on a nostalgia trip back to the days growing up in Mumbai. On the whole, the book was an easy read and I breezed through it in a matter of few days
• Sanjay is sometimes too analytical for his own good but when it came to dissecting his technique, strengths and challenges later on in his career, He lays it out well. It is interesting to be inside the head of a cricketer and understand what’s happening in his mind as the unfolds on the field.
• A particular section of the book I was looking forward to was his experiences with his contemporaries, some of whom – Jadeja, Azhar, Dravid – were my favorites too. Sanjay didn’t disappoint. He lays it out as it is while retelling his interactions with his cricketing peers. Though he does soften the blow by adding in some positives to end his more critical takes on colleagues. It was also good to read the behind the scenes of the 1996 world cup semifinal loss to Sri Lanka which had affected me deeply back in the days.
• Finally, as a bonus to this readers, Sanjay brings his personal life to the fore. It would have been difficult to objectively analyze and verbalize the relationship with his Dad but he does justice to it too.
What didn’t work for me?
• Sanjay goes out of his way and beats to death the conclusion that he was never a true aficionado of the game of Cricket but more so in there for the fame of it. This may be true to a certain extent but to me it also seemed like someone trying to rationalize his past based on how the future turned out. Contradictory is also the fact that in cricket commentary he found this true calling which is a different art than playing but still centers around Cricket. If the game didn’t fascinate him, he will have a hard time enjoying any of it. Well, in one vulnerable statement to end a chapter he does admit that “he loved the game a little after all”. It may been more than a little I suspect but well Sanjay the writer is not too unlike Sanjay the cricketer, even a top defense has its flaws.
• I never really followed Sanjay Manjrekar the commentator so that one chapter didn’t resonate with me but obviously that’s something specific to my interests. Given the fact that he has been commenting for top sports channels makes me believe he is more than good at it and fans of that part of this career will relish the details there.
Overall, two thumps to Sanjay and his book. This is an engaging, well-articulated book that leaves you with a hint of nostalgia but a lot of perspective on the world of Mumbai and Indian cricket and one of its star with a rather checkered career.
January 26, 2018
It is no secret that the lasting trait one remembers Sanjay Manjrekar with is that of a dour, serious character on and off the field. His recently released biography, 'Imperfect' carries that tone throughout and yet, ends up providing the reader with some interesting snippets from the life of this former Indian middle-order batsman.
Manjrekar primarily talks about three things, his personal life, his stint as a cricketer and his life post-retirement when he has apparently never had the urge to go out and play a single match. What I particularly liked reading was his revelations about his troubled relationship with his father, Vijay Manjrekar and the way the family dealt with the old man's eccentricities. In deciding to write about a clearly bruising phase in his life, he has given the book an honest feel.
It is also interesting to see him talk about the Indian side of the 90's, a team which mostly struggled through the decade. He throws light on the likes of Manoj Prabhakar and Kiran More, calling them two of the team's tougher characters, ready to take on all situations. He also touches upon opposition players he played with and became friends with, before concluding the book with a primer on the world of cricket commentary. The insights on how ex-players prepare for their commentary stints and how they behave in TV studios makes for revealing reading. All in all, the book is a sombre read, peppered with some interesting stories.
Manjrekar primarily talks about three things, his personal life, his stint as a cricketer and his life post-retirement when he has apparently never had the urge to go out and play a single match. What I particularly liked reading was his revelations about his troubled relationship with his father, Vijay Manjrekar and the way the family dealt with the old man's eccentricities. In deciding to write about a clearly bruising phase in his life, he has given the book an honest feel.
It is also interesting to see him talk about the Indian side of the 90's, a team which mostly struggled through the decade. He throws light on the likes of Manoj Prabhakar and Kiran More, calling them two of the team's tougher characters, ready to take on all situations. He also touches upon opposition players he played with and became friends with, before concluding the book with a primer on the world of cricket commentary. The insights on how ex-players prepare for their commentary stints and how they behave in TV studios makes for revealing reading. All in all, the book is a sombre read, peppered with some interesting stories.
September 17, 2018
I bumped across this book after i completed with Saurav Ganguly's biography. Credit goes to goodreads as i came across imperfect while going through reviews about saurav's book. The name imperfect attracted my attention. Once i started reading i was glued to it. What i found interesting is the sincerity and honesty with which it is written. A simple read but gives great insights into a life of cricketer who could very well analyse what possibly went wrong and what he could have very well achieved. However he doesn't hold grudge against anyone which is the best part. I found him more of a practical person however could see a bit of his emotional side when he candidly shared about his family. Was never his great fan however his book has made me one of his fans. The way he has made his transition into a full fledged commentator is praiseworthy seems like the lessons he leant during his cricketing days made him a better commentator. Read it for the person who had the courage to be a self critic who could admire and learn from his competitors and still continues to do so. Not one of the greats of his era but a person who carved a niche for himself and admits that with humility.
March 30, 2018
I'm Perfect
For some reasons, one wants certain individuals to do well. For me, Sanjay Manjrekar is one of them (Vinod Kambli, the other). I felt the pain when they didn't do as well as they should have. My guess is that the cricket environment of the 90s gave very little chance to guys like Sanjay to stay on top
But it is great to read that Sanjay has overcome the bitterness. For me, that is the takeway. One criticism - at times, I felt Sanjay has overdone "it was all my fault" tone. Not sure what to read into that.
Also I noted the conscious effort to give both sides of the vilified people (Azhar for example and as I write this, Sanjay is one of the first Indians to forgive Steve Smith).
Great book to read.
Side notes:
I read thru half the book and then noticed title was not "I'm Perfect". Once I saw Sanjay's photo...there was no chance i would have read the yext below as "Imperfect"
Noticed that Vengsarkar did the publication. My test for "right /wrong" in Indian cricket is which side Vengsarkar is on.
For some reasons, one wants certain individuals to do well. For me, Sanjay Manjrekar is one of them (Vinod Kambli, the other). I felt the pain when they didn't do as well as they should have. My guess is that the cricket environment of the 90s gave very little chance to guys like Sanjay to stay on top
But it is great to read that Sanjay has overcome the bitterness. For me, that is the takeway. One criticism - at times, I felt Sanjay has overdone "it was all my fault" tone. Not sure what to read into that.
Also I noted the conscious effort to give both sides of the vilified people (Azhar for example and as I write this, Sanjay is one of the first Indians to forgive Steve Smith).
Great book to read.
Side notes:
I read thru half the book and then noticed title was not "I'm Perfect". Once I saw Sanjay's photo...there was no chance i would have read the yext below as "Imperfect"
Noticed that Vengsarkar did the publication. My test for "right /wrong" in Indian cricket is which side Vengsarkar is on.
December 29, 2017
Sanjay Manjrekar, an international cricketer-turned-commentator, recently released his autobiography titled Imperfect. The book is not an attempt to glorify his days as a cricketer or commentator. It starts with explaining the impact of his father, Vijay Manjrekar, a former Test cricketer, on his life.
Manjrekar also reveals a lot of inside stories about cricket in Mumbai, international cricket, and his time in the commentary box. His flaws as a batsman as well as a person are portrayed perfectly.
'Imperfect' is a must-read for players as well as fans of the Gentleman's Game. It is brutally honest, candid, transparent and racy.
Read my full review on: http://www.crickgeek.com/specials/san...
Manjrekar also reveals a lot of inside stories about cricket in Mumbai, international cricket, and his time in the commentary box. His flaws as a batsman as well as a person are portrayed perfectly.
'Imperfect' is a must-read for players as well as fans of the Gentleman's Game. It is brutally honest, candid, transparent and racy.
Read my full review on: http://www.crickgeek.com/specials/san...
February 5, 2018
I give it 4 Stars mainly for the refreshing candor with which Manjrekar has described the Indian dressing room back in the late 80s and early 90s. He is quite forthcoming about his views on Kapil and Azhar’s behaviour or abilities which is not very common to find in India. Also, the chapters on Pakistan and West Indies are interesting. The start isn’t as catchy but the books gets better as you read it. Don’t expect great writing. It’s almost as if Manjrekar is sitting with you and saying it. The book is also quite short about 200 odd pages only. A lot of stuff is already public - for e.g the chapter on Pakistan is available on Cricinfo.
February 10, 2018
For the standards of politically correct Indian ex-cricketers this I thought was quite a candid book - both at the personal level as well as what was happening around him. I especially loved the parts about the talent spotting network of Mumbai cricketers, Sanjay's own admission of what led him to cricket, his troubled relationship with his father, his frank soul searching of what led to his downfall, the workings ( or lack of it) of the Indian cricket team in the nineties. I would have loved to read some more anecdotes which am sure he has a lot of. This is a breezy read especially if you are familiar with the Mumbai school of batting.
April 14, 2018
Honest, very personal but highly readable
Very honest, unhesitant at bringing out personal imperfections rather than glorifying achievements; very well written. One can see the author telling his story rather than some one else on his behalf. Gives some insight into his cricket playing days tactfully avoiding some controversial period in Indian cricket still confirming how badly Indian team and cricket was divided along regional lines. I am sure the reader will generate a lot of respect for the person Sanjay Manjrekar as much as the cricketer. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Very honest, unhesitant at bringing out personal imperfections rather than glorifying achievements; very well written. One can see the author telling his story rather than some one else on his behalf. Gives some insight into his cricket playing days tactfully avoiding some controversial period in Indian cricket still confirming how badly Indian team and cricket was divided along regional lines. I am sure the reader will generate a lot of respect for the person Sanjay Manjrekar as much as the cricketer. Thoroughly enjoyed.
July 23, 2021
The autobiography that is not that tough to read. People call him too negative or critical of players but he himself has accepted it and has given reason for it. It's not an easy job to acknowledge and accept your mistakes . The best thing I liked about this book is that he is very honest with himself in this book .
The chapter about commentary is very insightful and I agree with most of the thing sanjay has said. The commentators he has mentioned in his list can't be questioned . Overall an easy read .
The chapter about commentary is very insightful and I agree with most of the thing sanjay has said. The commentators he has mentioned in his list can't be questioned . Overall an easy read .
May 9, 2018
One of the best cricket autobiographies. He actually talks about his own failings and talks about the truly pathetic nature of Indian cricket in the 80s and 90s. Refreshingly candid about the inner workings of the dressing room at that time. He is also extremely self critical, which is rare. My respect for Manjrekar has gone up a few notches after reading this. Just wish it was longer and more detailed, with less abrupt endings.
August 29, 2020
Great parents, or even successful parents, more often than not end up having children who never reach their level of skill. It’s almost a given. If you’re jumping into the same profession as either of your parents’, you’re not likely to reach the same level they did. This tends to happen more so in the public space, Yuvraj Singh being the exception that proves the rule. So many other cricketers have had children that donned India colours but didn’t make the big league the way their fathers did – Rohan Gavaskar, Ashok Mankad, Stuart Binny (to be fair to him, he’s still playing), Pranab Roy, their records will forever carry the weight of being the sons of illustrious, more accomplished fathers. Another such player is Sanjay Manjrekar, whose father Vijay is repeatedly touted as being one of the greatest batsmen the country has produced. Known nowadays for his divisive commentary and not-so-divisive articles on the sport, Manjrekar Jr played 37 Tests for India from 1987 to 1996, scoring just over two thousand runs.
I have always viewed Manjrekar as an incredibly critical commentator who talks up Bombay cricket to the point of one wanting to tear one’s hair out. The book Imperfect, an account of his life, somewhat explains this curious attitude of his towards the game.
I wouldn’t normally praise an autobiography for being candid because that is technically the purpose of it but because so many are not (Sachin’s was a royal pain, Ganguly’s was worse), Manjrekar must be given credit for being absolutely frank in his. Here is a man clearly aware of his own shortcomings, perhaps too much so, which is why, he says, he finds it easy to pick apart the skill of others. His is a journey populated by many a character, his family, his teammates, his non-cricket friends, his commentary pals. He talks about his father, a man of contradictions, a man whom he feared as a child and who would tell anyone within earshot that his kid would, like him, don the India cap, a sight Vijay Laxman Manjrekar would not live to see, passing away four years before his son took guard against the West Indies in Delhi.
While still relatively reserved about his life away from the ground, Manjrekar drives home more than a few nails while talking about his time with the team. He talks about his time as the kid of the Vengasarkar-led team to the Caribbean to being the sedate middle-order batsman he finally became. His teammates get a fair few pages, from Kapil Dev to Manoj Prabhakar to Ajay Jadeja to Mohammed Azharuddin and finally the Bombay Boy Wonder Sachin Tendulkar. Most interesting, however, are Manjrekar’s forthright views on domestic and city-level cricket in the country, especially the parts where he delves deeper into the Bombay circuit and his on-air partiality to it. Also worth noting are the parts about broadcasting, a profession Manjrekar took to after hanging up his kit.
Imperfect is described best by its title – it falters at times and some parts do feel considerably less fleshed out than others, but it scores on Manjrekar’s brutal honesty not only about the game but about himself – how he goes back to not only the way he played the game but also why he played it, what his motivation was. The latter isn’t something too many would admit to publicly, and Manjrekar deserves credit for being true to himself in that case. It’s a short book, around 200 pages, and if you’re a cricket fan, you might enjoy it. Hell, you might even start empathising with the man. To some extent.
More at Varun Oak-Bhakay's Writer's Block
I have always viewed Manjrekar as an incredibly critical commentator who talks up Bombay cricket to the point of one wanting to tear one’s hair out. The book Imperfect, an account of his life, somewhat explains this curious attitude of his towards the game.
I wouldn’t normally praise an autobiography for being candid because that is technically the purpose of it but because so many are not (Sachin’s was a royal pain, Ganguly’s was worse), Manjrekar must be given credit for being absolutely frank in his. Here is a man clearly aware of his own shortcomings, perhaps too much so, which is why, he says, he finds it easy to pick apart the skill of others. His is a journey populated by many a character, his family, his teammates, his non-cricket friends, his commentary pals. He talks about his father, a man of contradictions, a man whom he feared as a child and who would tell anyone within earshot that his kid would, like him, don the India cap, a sight Vijay Laxman Manjrekar would not live to see, passing away four years before his son took guard against the West Indies in Delhi.
While still relatively reserved about his life away from the ground, Manjrekar drives home more than a few nails while talking about his time with the team. He talks about his time as the kid of the Vengasarkar-led team to the Caribbean to being the sedate middle-order batsman he finally became. His teammates get a fair few pages, from Kapil Dev to Manoj Prabhakar to Ajay Jadeja to Mohammed Azharuddin and finally the Bombay Boy Wonder Sachin Tendulkar. Most interesting, however, are Manjrekar’s forthright views on domestic and city-level cricket in the country, especially the parts where he delves deeper into the Bombay circuit and his on-air partiality to it. Also worth noting are the parts about broadcasting, a profession Manjrekar took to after hanging up his kit.
Imperfect is described best by its title – it falters at times and some parts do feel considerably less fleshed out than others, but it scores on Manjrekar’s brutal honesty not only about the game but about himself – how he goes back to not only the way he played the game but also why he played it, what his motivation was. The latter isn’t something too many would admit to publicly, and Manjrekar deserves credit for being true to himself in that case. It’s a short book, around 200 pages, and if you’re a cricket fan, you might enjoy it. Hell, you might even start empathising with the man. To some extent.
More at Varun Oak-Bhakay's Writer's Block
December 6, 2020
I have not watched any match that Sanjay played for India, but I watched many matches in which he was a commentator. I liked his commentary, and as he came across as someone who is not afraid to call a spade as a spade.
Coming to this book, I liked the first few chapters, where Sanjay explained how his childhood shaped his career choice as a cricketer and his batting style (defensive). Sanjay played cricket for fame and is forthcoming about it.
It is interesting to read about Mumbai cricket scene, Ranji tournaments, and North vs West zone rivalry. Sadly, Sanjay played cricket when India is not competitive in away matches, not aggressive in their approach towards the game, and not supportive to fellow cricketers.
Since I did not watch any of his matches, I could not connect too much of Sanjay's cricketing life. However, in the last chapter, Sanjay goes into the details about his life as a commentator. Sanjay chose to be a commentator to be visible in the public eye and not fade out like other cricketers in his generation. As a commentator, Sanjay can get extremely critical because of his analytical mindset. However, many cricketers/viewers took it personally instead of seeing it as a person doing his job. I am glad Sanjay is not backing down from being critical as some of the commentators do not trust the intelligence of the viewers.
It is a welcoming book if you are interested in the game. Former cricketers, in their autobiographies, tend to glorify their struggle or game or write about controversies to sell but this book isn't
Coming to this book, I liked the first few chapters, where Sanjay explained how his childhood shaped his career choice as a cricketer and his batting style (defensive). Sanjay played cricket for fame and is forthcoming about it.
It is interesting to read about Mumbai cricket scene, Ranji tournaments, and North vs West zone rivalry. Sadly, Sanjay played cricket when India is not competitive in away matches, not aggressive in their approach towards the game, and not supportive to fellow cricketers.
Since I did not watch any of his matches, I could not connect too much of Sanjay's cricketing life. However, in the last chapter, Sanjay goes into the details about his life as a commentator. Sanjay chose to be a commentator to be visible in the public eye and not fade out like other cricketers in his generation. As a commentator, Sanjay can get extremely critical because of his analytical mindset. However, many cricketers/viewers took it personally instead of seeing it as a person doing his job. I am glad Sanjay is not backing down from being critical as some of the commentators do not trust the intelligence of the viewers.
It is a welcoming book if you are interested in the game. Former cricketers, in their autobiographies, tend to glorify their struggle or game or write about controversies to sell but this book isn't
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