"Defense is useless": Sanjay Manjrekar defends Indian batters after failure in Pune Test

Former India National Cricket Team player Sanjay Manjrekar has jumped in the defence of the Indian batters following their flop show in the first innings of the ongoing Test match against the New Zealand National Cricket Team.

Indian batters delivered an awful performance in the first innings of the second Test match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune and got bowled out for 156 in 45.3 overs.

We can’t be too critical of today’s batters - Sanjay Manjrekar

India's innings started on a disappointing note as captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for a duck on the first day itself. On the second day, Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal failed to play big innings and got dismissed after scoring 30 runs each.

The middle-order batters also kept struggling against the New Zealand bowlers as Virat Kohli (1), Rishabh Pant (18) and Sarfaraz Khan (11) got out without scoring big runs. However, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja (38) and Washington Sundar (18) chipped in with crucial runs that helped the hosts post a respectable total on the board.

After a poor show, the Indian batters faced heavy criticism, with many experts slamming their poor defensive technique because of which they were not able to deal with the threat of spin-bowling.

However, Manjrekar thinks differently. According to the cricketer-turned-commentator, it's wrong to be 'too critical' of the modern-day batters' defensive skills in Tests because they are mostly used to playing T20 cricket, where defense is of no use.

"We can’t be too critical of today’s batters when it comes to defensive skills in Tests. Let’s not forget T20s is the most ‘happening’ format today. And defence is useless there," Sanjay Manjrekar wrote on his official X handle.

We can’t be too critical of today’s batters when it comes to defensive skills in Tests. Let’s not forget T20s is the most ‘happening’ format today. And defence is useless there.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) October 25, 2024

I greatly fear India's proud unbeaten home streak is over - Harsha Bhogle

After India's horrible show with the bat, the veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle took to his official X handle to state that the home team will need to do something extraordinary to save the Test against the Kiwis. He stated:

"India will have to do something extraordinary, something very special, to salvage this game. This is a potentially match-winning lead. That proud home record is under serious threat from a team of unassuming, smart cricketers."

Meanwhile, at the end of the day, when New Zealand took a lead of 301 runs, Bhogle felt that the Test match has slipped away from India's hands. He stated:

"I greatly fear India's proud unbeaten home streak is over. If NZ do go 2-0 up, it will rank alongside Sri Lanka beating South Africa a few years ago as the most improbable away win."

I greatly fear India's proud unbeaten home streak is over. If NZ do go 2-0 up, it will rank alongside Sri Lanka beating South Africa a few years ago as the most improbable away win

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 25, 2024

What was the need to prepare a pitch like this? - Dodda Ganesh

Former India National Cricket Team player Dodda Ganesh, meanwhile, was disappointed with the pitch produced for the Pune Test. He wrote on X:

"What was the need to prepare a pitch like this? There was no need to panic after just one loss. Now India are at the wrong end #INDvNZ."

He further highlighted a delivery that hit Ravichandran Ashwin very low and stated:

"The ball that hit Ashwin so low says a lot. On a second day pitch it can’t be happening. As far as India is concerned: you reap what you sow #INDvNZ."

The ball that hit Ashwin so low says a lot. On a second day pitch it can’t be happening. As far as India is concerned: you reap what you sow #INDvNZ

— Dodda Ganesh | ದೊಡ್ಡ ಗಣೇಶ್ (@doddaganesha) October 25, 2024