Sanjay Manjrekar says he has always considered commentary a privilege and not an entitlement. (Instagram/SanjayManjrekar)

Reacting to his ouster from the BCCI commentary panel for the South Africa ODI series, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar on Sunday said he accepted the decision as a professional.

I have always considered commentary as a great privilege, but never an entitlement. It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not & I will always respect that. Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 15, 2020

“I have always considered commentary as a great privilege, but never an entitlement,” the 54-year-old wrote on his twitter handle.

“It is up to my employers whether they choose to have me or not & I will always respect that. Maybe BCCI has not been happy with my performance of late. I accept that as a professional.”

Manjrekar, who played 37 Tests and 74 ODIs for India, had courted controversy during last year’s World Cup when he termed Ravindra Jadeja a “bits and pieces cricketer”, something that didn’t go well with the Saurashtra all-rounder, who questioned the Mumbaikar’s cricketing credentials.

READ | Jadeja’s reply to Sanjay Manjrekar goes viral

Manjrekar later admitted that he was off the mark with his unsavoury analysis of Jadeja’s cricketing prowess.

He was also panned on social media for his on-air comment about fellow commentator Harsha Bhogle during the ‘Pink Test’ when he questioned the latter’s credibility since he hasn’t played at the highest level. Manjrekar had to apologise for that also.

(With PTI inputs)