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The formidable fortress of the Indian cricket team has proven impervious to many aspiring cricketers, a challenge amplified when it comes to securing a spot consistently over time. Amidst this, Manoj Tiwary, a first-class behemoth, took his final bow after steering Bengal to a remarkable victory over Bihar at the Eden Gardens. In the aftermath of his retirement, Tiwary unveiled his career’s paramount regret, a moment where he questioned the decision of the legendary MS Dhoni, who then helmed the Indian team.
Making his debut in 2008, Manoj Tiwary showcased his prowess in 12 ODIs and three T20Is over seven years and eight series, culminating in a notable century against West Indies in December 2011. Despite this achievement, he found himself sidelined for 14 consecutive matches, prompting him to seek an explanation from MS Dhoni, particularly when the likes of Kohli, Rohit, and Raina were struggling during the 2012 Australia tour.
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“I want to hear from him whenever I get the opportunity. I will ask this question. I would like to ask MS Dhoni why I was dropped from the team after scoring the century, especially in that tour of Australia where nobody was scoring runs, neither was Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or Suresh Raina. I have nothing to lose now,” he said.
Tiwary’s regret extends beyond limited-overs cricket; missing out on a Test cap looms large. Despite impressive first-class numbers and impactful performances against Australia and England in practice matches, Yuvraj Singh got the nod over him.
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“When I had completed playing 65 first-class matches, my batting average was around 65. The Australia team had toured India then, and I had scored 130 in a friendly game, then I scored 93 against England in a friendly game. I was very close, but they picked Yuvraj Singh instead. So Test cap and the fact that I was ignored after getting the Man of the Match award for scoring a hundred…I was ignored for 14 straight matches. When self-confidence is at its peak and someone destroys that, it tends to kill that player,” he added.
The 38-year-old, also the junior Sports Minister of Bengal, concludes his first-class career with over 10,000 runs in 147 matches since his 2004 debut, leaving a lingering tale of unfulfilled potential and unanswered questions.