Former India all-rounder Sanjay Manjrekar shared his thoughts on the ongoing debate surrounding the performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Test cricket. The cricket expert suggested that judging Kohli and Rohit by the same standard given their Test record is unfair.
Kohli and Rohit’s terrific form continued in the crucial Boxing Day Test, where Team India lost by 184 to hosts Australia, who now lead the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 by 2-1. The final test will be held in Sydney from January 3.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli should not be judged by the same standards, says Sanjay Manjrekar
In the fourth Test against Australia, Rohit got off to a solid start but was dismissed for just 9 after facing 40 balls, while Kohli again fell short for 5 and continued to struggle with off-stump deliveries. Both batsmen struggled in 2024, just above the average of 24 in Test cricket.
The Indian captain has two centuries and two half-centuries this year, while Kohli has a ton of fifties to his name in Test cricket in 2024. Fans and many pundits are suggesting that the Indian batting icon should consider quitting Tests after the Test. Consistently poor scores in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.
However, Sanjay Manjrekar feels Kohli should be given more chances and hails the dashing right-hander as one of the greatest Test batsmen, but he also questions India’s batting coach Abhishek Nayar’s role as the latter continues to get out in the same way.
Sanjay Manjrekar defends Virat Kohli after questioning his role as India’s batting coach
The former India batsman was also adamant that there is no comparison between Rohit and Virat as Test batsmen. He slammed Abhishek Nayar for Kohli’s recurring problems, while insisting that enough has been said about the former India captain and it is time to leave him alone.
Sanjay Manjrekar said in Star Sports, “I have to say that there is no comparison between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as Test batsmen. Kohli is right there. He is a great Test batsman and Rohit is a good Test batsman. Rohit’s white ball hitting is excellent. So Virat deserves a longer string.
It is not so much about Virat Kohli. I want to know what batting coach of India does. We cannot solve the obvious problem of such a wonderful player. Not enough has been said about Virat Kohli; we just need to leave him alone.”
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Sanjay Manjrekar urges Indian cricket team management and Ajit Agarkar to act on Rohit Sharma’s Test future
Manjrekar also urged the Indian cricket team management not to wait for Rohit Sharma to make a call on his Test future, but to take action themselves. A commentator pointed out that India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar has enough power to take decisions about Indian cricket.
He emphasized that it is now Ajit Agarkar’s responsibility to decide the future, not Rohit Sharma, but reiterated that Virat Kohli’s situation is a very different matter. Manjrekar further explained, “It doesn’t really depend on Rohit Sharma. “If you look at the protocol and the hierarchy of the team selection, the chairman of the selectors will decide.”
Manjrekar said, “He has the power to do what’s best for Indian cricket, so it’s not about Rohit Sharma himself deciding what the future holds. The chairman of selectors has that power. It’s with Rohit and he looks down in a tough situation. Virat Kohli is a completely different is the issue.”
