IND vs SL: Virat Kohli Is The Only Player India Can Rest: Sanjay Manjrekar

While Team India will be looking to go all the way and win the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, there is absolutely no denying that the focus of the team will be firmly on the ICC World Cup, scheduled to begin next month.

With less than a month remaining before the marquee event gets underway, the team management would be hoping that none of the players selected for the tournament get injured. The team management will definitely be looking to rest some key players in the ongoing Asia Cup, especially after being in action for two days in a row due to the game against Pakistan extending to reserve day which was on Monday (September 11).

In fact, Indian players will be in action for three consecutive days as the game against Sri Lanka is scheduled for Tuesday (September 12). And while only will tell who gets rested, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli is the only player that the Indian team management can afford to rest in the remaining Super 4 games.

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“I think they will go with their full-strength team. They want to win that game and maybe in that final, you know the Super Four game, they might want to try something. The only player they can rest is Virat Kohli honestly, because he is in form and he can come back and catch up with where he left off,” Sanjay Manjrekar told Asia Cup broadcasters.

Virat Kohli starred with the bat against Pakistan, playing a sublime unbeaten knock of 122 runs off just 94 balls. India posted a huge total of 356 runs before a five-wicket haul from Kuldeep Yadav helped the team bowl out Pakistan for a paltry total of 228 runs.

No rest for KL Rahul in India vs Sri Lanka:

Just like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul also scored an unbeaten century in what was his comeback match. It was his first competitive game since he suffered the thigh injury in May this year. Speaking about KL Rahul, Sanjay Manjrekar made it clear that he is not in favor of seeing the batsman get any rest after such a brilliant comeback.

“Rahul, he’s just got 100. He’s feeling great about himself. Let him go in there and get another. He’s match fit. So now you shouldn’t be talking about resting him. If he’s match-fit, he should be playing. The only person that I feel will not change the balance too much and can afford to come back and rest him and he will be fine,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.

Meanwhile, India can seal a place in the final of Asia Cup 2023 if they beat Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The team management can then have the opportunity to rest a number of players for the Super 4 clash against Bangladesh later this week.