Sanjay Manjrekarformer Indian cricketer turned commentator has once again stirred cricket circles with his recent revelations. Virat Kohli. Manjrekar, known for his candid and often critical views on Indian cricket, took to Twitter to analyze Kohli’s early dismissal during the 1st day between the Adelaide Test Australia and India On Friday, December 6th. This time, his commentary focused on the former Indian captain’s ongoing struggles with off-stump deliveries.
Sanjay Manjrekar’s analysis of Virat Kohli’s weakness
Kohli, who struck heroically in the first Test of the series with a masterful century, was instrumental in securing India’s crucial win. However, his performance in the first innings of the second Test disappointed fans and critics as he was dismissed for just 7 runs. The dismissal brought to light a point that Manjrekar made in his tweet.
In his tweet, Manjrekar highlighted a flaw that has plagued Kohli’s batting for some time now: his struggles with off-stump deliveries. The former all-rounder specifically pointed out that Kohli’s average has dropped to 48, mainly due to his inability to handle such deliveries. He further suggested that Kohli was reluctant to adjust his technique to overcome this weakness. This remarkable observation reignited the debate about the technical weakness of the right-handed batsman, especially in difficult overseas conditions.
An important reason why Virat’s average has now fallen to 48 is the unfortunate weakness in the offside. But what is more important is the determination not to try any other way to solve it.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 6, 2024
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The dismissal drew criticism
Kohli’s dismissal came on 21 of India’s first innings on Day 1 of the second Test. player, Mitchell StarcOn the fifth-sixth stump line, Kohli delivered a short length ball that was bowled over. Kohli was late to pull his bat back and the ball caught the edge of his bat and was caught low by the Australian fielder. Steve Smith in the second slide. Kohli looked dejected as he returned to the dressing room looking at the pitch and the end of his bat. Similar to his dismissal in the first innings of the Perth Test, Kohli made a late decision and failed to move his bat out of the way of the ball, causing him to collapse. Manjrekar’s tweet further scrutinized this recurring problem, pointing out that Kohli’s dismissal to off-stump deliveries has become an identifiable pattern.
