(Source X)
Despite playing a pivotal role by scoring nearly half of India’s runs in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final, Virat Kohli has received no recognition from Sanjay Manjrekar. Kohli, in what marked his final T20 international for India, led from the front during the final in Barbados. Notably, this tournament saw Kohli take on the role of an opening batsman for the first time in an ICC event, a decision influenced by his outstanding performance in the IPL 2024 season where he excelled with over 700 runs for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
While Kohli’s move to open had garnered attention, it hadn’t yielded significant results until the final stages. Despite struggling earlier in the tournament, Kohli’s perseverance paid off in the crucial match against Australia in the Super 8s, where he scored vital runs. His contribution in the final was crucial, stabilizing India’s innings after early setbacks.
However, despite Kohli’s match-saving innings, Sanjay Manjrekar, a former cricketer turned commentator, chose not to credit Kohli for his performance. Instead, Manjrekar attributed India’s victory solely to the bowlers, specifically praising Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel for their efforts in securing the win.
Kohli’s resilience and contribution in the final showcased his ability to perform under pressure, yet his efforts were overshadowed by the focus on the bowling unit’s achievements according to Manjrekar’s assessment.
Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t have a single mention of Virat Kohli anywhere in the tweet despite the latter winning the MOTM award. “And not for the first time Indian bowlers won India the game. Take a bow Hardik, Axar, Arshdeep, and the one and only Jasprit Bumrah.” – Manjrekar wrote via his official X handle after India’s win.
