Virat Kohli has failed to fire in two matches for India© AFP
Two matches, two poor outings for Team India’s ‘run-machine’ Virat Kohli in the T20 World Cup 2024. As the Indian team gears up for the Group A clash against co-hosts USA, Kohli has been sent a roll-back advice from former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar. The cricketer-turned-pundit hasn’t shied away from giving his pieces of advice to Virat, just like he used to do with India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. While Virat has changed his game and become a more attacking player, Manjrekar wants him to revert to his old style for the T20 World Cup 2024.
In a chat on ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar admitted that Virat’s strike-rate was subjected to an intense debate during the IPL 2024, which prompted him to up his ante. Though other players still managed to score at a faster rate than him, there was an effort from Kohli to step on the gas.
But, Manjrekar feels Kohli is trying to replicate the same mindset in T20 World Cup 2024 which is a problem.
“The problem with Virat Kohli is that there has been a lot of talk about his strike rate over the last two years, and he completely changed that during this IPL season. His strike rate had reached 150, although others had almost 200, but that is a different topic. He probably must have come to the T20 World Cup with that same mindset, but given the pitches, the old Virat Kohli would have been much better. So, I feel someone should tell him to bring back that earlier version of himself and then change again when the pitches become flat,” he said.
Earlier, Manjrekar had also branded pacer Jasprit Bumrah the team’s best player, while hitting out at the attention Virat Kohli gets.
“While Indian media obsesses over Virat & Co, Jasprit Bumrah quietly wins games for India single-handedly. By far the best player in the Indian team & has been for a while now. #JaspritBumrah #ICCT20WC,” Manjrekar had said on X.
After two poor outings with the bat, Virat would look to put in a better shift against the USA on Wednesday.
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