JioHotstar’s coverage of the prestigious India vs England Test Series, also known as the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, has sparked a wave of discontent online. While streaming glitches and video quality complaints have plagued the platform before, this time it’s the commentary—both Hindi and English—that’s drawing serious heat from viewers.
Fans are frustrated by the constant digressions in Hindi commentary, where match analysis is often replaced by irrelevant personal anecdotes and unnecessary chatter. Viewers expected deep, insightful cricket coverage during one of the most anticipated test series of the year, but what they received instead feels off-topic and poorly curated. Many have expressed disappointment over the lack of structure and depth, noting that the commentary fails to enhance the match experience.
The English commentary, too, hasn’t fared better. One of the biggest complaints surrounds the pre-show segments, where anchors remain confined to studios in India or speak remotely via headphones. Fans believe the platform missed a big opportunity by not sending its crew to England for on-ground coverage. Such absence takes away from the richness of the live match environment and distances the audience from the real-time excitement of the series.
Another major issue is the audio quality of JioHotstar’s English commentary feed, which many have identified as being outsourced from Sky Sports. Instead of adding value, this blend has reportedly led to mismatched syncs, echoing voices, and poor overall sound quality. Several users on social media have asked the platform to offer Sky Sports’ original feed directly, rather than layering it with commentary they find less engaging.
At the center of the storm is Sanjay Manjrekar, whose commentary style has once again polarized viewers. His habit of veering into unrelated tangents during key moments has turned fans off, with many openly asking JioHotstar to replace him with more focused and tactful voices. Some have even admitted to muting the audio during matches or switching to other language feeds just to escape his narration.\
This growing backlash reveals a fundamental truth: cricket commentary is not just background noise, it shapes how fans experience the game. When the commentary fails, it undercuts the entire viewing journey. For a platform like JioHotstar, which is pushing to dominate the live sports streaming space, ignoring such user feedback could prove damaging.
In a country where cricket is almost a religion, quality commentary isn't optional—it is expected. If JioHotstar wants to build loyalty and trust in its sports offerings, it must treat its commentary bench with the same seriousness as its tech stack. Whether that means hiring better commentators, sending teams on-site, or simply listening more closely to its audience, action is long overdue.
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