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Sanjay Manjrekar, the former Indian cricketer turned commentator, has stirred up a debate with his recent assertion regarding Virat Kohli’s assertive approach, which was notably sharpened during his remarkable IPL 2024 campaign. Manjrekar suggests that this aggressive demeanor, which propelled Kohli to amass an impressive 741 runs at a striking rate of 154 and secure the coveted Orange Cap, is proving to be less effective for the Indian cricket team in the current ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Despite Kohli’s stellar IPL performance, his form in the ongoing T20 World Cup has been underwhelming. Opening the batting in the initial two matches, Kohli has struggled, managing only scores of 1 and 4 against Ireland and Pakistan, respectively, in this prestigious tournament.
Sanjay Manjrekar has once again thrown shade at Virat Kohli’s aggressive playing style in the T20 World Cup 2024. As Team India gears up for their third Group A encounter against the USA, Manjrekar has sparked renewed discussion on Kohli’s strike rate, offering an unexpected yet thought-provoking suggestion for the former Indian captain.
Manjrekar contends that Kohli’s current aggressive approach, which saw a surge in his strike rate during IPL 2024, might not be suitable for the demanding pitches in New York. The commentator argues that the Indian team would benefit more from the older, more reliable version of Kohli rather than his current aggressive persona in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.
According to Manjrekar, India needs Kohli’s previous style, characterized by a more cautious approach, to navigate through the sluggish conditions and progress further in the tournament.
Sanjay Manjrekar recently expressed his belief that Virat Kohli’s aggressive batting style may not be well-suited for the pitches in New York during the T20 World Cup 2024. He pointed out that Kohli had significantly increased his strike rate during the IPL 2024 season, reaching 150, although others had even higher rates nearing 200. Manjrekar suggested that Kohli might have brought the same aggressive mindset to the T20 World Cup, but given the conditions of the pitches, the previous, more conservative version of Kohli would have been more effective.
Manjrekar’s remarks followed his indirect criticism of Kohli after India’s victory over Pakistan in their recent T20 World Cup match. He praised Jasprit Bumrah for his outstanding performance, highlighting Bumrah’s crucial role in India’s win with figures of 3/14, including 11 dot balls. Manjrekar emphasized Bumrah’s consistent contribution to the team’s success and implied that while the Indian media focuses on players like Kohli, it’s Bumrah who often quietly delivers match-winning performances for India.
India has had a strong start in the ongoing tournament, securing victories in their first two matches. If they can maintain their winning streak by defeating the USA in their upcoming Group A clash on Wednesday, June 12, at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York, Rohit Sharma and his team will advance to the Super-8 stage of the tournament, joining Australia and South Africa in the next phase of this major event.