(AP Photo)

Former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has consistently been critical of Virat Kohli’s leadership during his tenure with Team India, as well as his batting approach. This ongoing scrutiny reflects a strained relationship between the two, evident on numerous occasions.

Known for his candid commentary, Manjrekar has frequently highlighted Kohli’s strike rate in T20 cricket, a point the star batsman has occasionally refuted publicly. Manjrekar’s tendency to critique Kohli across various cricketing aspects has sparked debates among fans and pundits alike, often triggering public backlash on social media platforms.

Sanjay Manjrekar’s recent comments on Virat Kohli’s decision to retire from T20I cricket have sparked controversy once again. Known for his outspoken views, Manjrekar didn’t hold back in his assessment of Kohli’s T20 legacy and retirement.

Manjrekar highlighted Kohli’s evolution as a cricketer across different formats, suggesting that while Kohli could potentially thrive in ODI cricket for another decade, his T20 prowess has waned. He remarked that the era when Kohli dominated T20s has passed, indicating that Kohli’s decision to retire from T20Is was appropriate given the current landscape of the game.

Sanjay Manjrekar was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “There was a time when he was at his prime in Test cricket. When he was getting 400s in Australia in a 5-match series, so, that was Virat Kohli at his prime. 50-overs is a format that he can manage forever. Even if he continues to play for the next 10 years. But there was a time when he was a brilliant T20 player.”

Manjrekar highlighted a significant IPL season where Kohli displayed formidable power-hitting skills with runs and sixes. However, he observed that similar to Sachin Tendulkar as he aged, Kohli’s ability to hit big shots has diminished, impacting his T20 performance.

According to Manjrekar, Kohli should reconsider his approach in T20 cricket to regain dominance in the format. He suggested that focusing on formats where his strengths excel, such as Test and ODI cricket, would be more beneficial for Kohli at this stage of his career.

Sanjay Manjrekar has suggested that Virat Kohli may no longer be suitable for T20 cricket. He hinted that Kohli, acknowledging the difficulty in adapting his game for T20s at this stage of his career, opted to retire from T20I cricket.

Despite a strong IPL 2024 season, Kohli faced challenges in the T20 World Cup 2024, except for his crucial innings of 76 runs in the final against South Africa.

Manjrekar further explained, “In the IPL, there was one season where he got runs and had the most sixes. And the most sixes. So, he had the power game. And in that game in Mohali against Australia, we saw the best of Virat Kohli. It was like hitting the big shots at will. With age, you lose a bit of power. And that is something that has happened to Sachin Tendulkar as well.

So, you are sort of reliant on other batters. So, at this stage of his career, T20 batting doesn’t come as easily. And hence the failure that we saw. Because if he had left his own design, like he plays in the IPL, he might have scored consistently. At the moment, as a Test player, right up there. 50-over cricket is here, and the T20 format is not being used. And he has realized that. And maybe it was the right call.”