(Credit BCCI)
Sanjay Manjrekar, the former Indian batsman, expresses optimism about a strong batting performance from veteran players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
Both the current captain and his predecessor are likely participating in the T20 World Cup for the final time in their careers and are eager to leave a lasting impact. Rohit has been a part of the T20 World Cup since its inception in 2007, while Kohli joined the fray in 2012. Despite their illustrious careers, Kohli is yet to clinch the T20 World Cup title, whereas Rohit’s last triumph in the tournament dates back to MS Dhoni’s leadership in 2007.
The seasoned campaigners face immense pressure to lead India to victory this year, and Manjrekar believes they will deliver a stronger performance compared to their disappointing showing in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal. In that match, England decimated India by 10 wickets, with Kohli scoring 50 off 40 balls and Rohit managing 28 runs off 27 balls as India finished at 168 for 6. England effortlessly chased down the target in 16 overs without losing a wicket.
Manjrekar also suggests that external criticism has spurred Kohli to enhance his T20 game. The former Indian captain has faced scrutiny regarding his strike rate in T20 cricket and exhibited improved form during IPL 2024.
“Rohit and Virat will not commit the same mistakes made in that semis (2022 vs England). It’s worth acknowledging that Virat is not the same T20 player he was two years ago. He must know deep down, surely, that the ‘outside noise’ has actually made him a better T20 batter today than he was two years ago,” Sanjay Manjrekar wrote in his column for the Hindustan Times.
Sanjay Manjrekar favors Varun Chakravarthy.
Continuing, Sanjay Manjrekar expressed his preference for Varun Chakravarthy over Axar Patel for the T20 World Cup. He emphasized that Axar’s style closely resembles that of Ravindra Jadeja and suggested that the selectors should have opted for Chakravarthy instead.
“I personally lean towards having Varun Chakravarthy in the squad rather than Axar Patel, who essentially mirrors Ravindra Jadeja’s T20 style. This choice reflects India’s conservative strategy in ICC selections.
“Axar’s batting might have influenced his selection. Personally, I would have bolstered the spin department, especially given the relatively thin seam attack in the absence of Mohammed Shami,” commented Manjrekar.
