Sanjay Manjrekar strikes Virat Kohli again with controversial comments on his retirement from T20Is

Former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has always been critical of Virat Kohli's leadership when he was with Team India and his playing style, which shows that they don’t share a great equation and was visible on many occasions.

Manjrekar, known for his forthright commentary, has many times criticized Kohli's strike rate in the T20s, which the star batter occasionally disproved publicly. Additionally, the comment never leaves a chance to target Kohli for anything related to cricket, which very often fueled debates among fans and cricket pundits and sparked public criticism on social media.

Sanjay Manjrekar's verdict on Virat Kohli's T20I retirement decision raises eyebrows

Well, Manjrekar yet again did what he has been doing over the years, and this time his sensational comments on Kohli’s retirement from T20I cricket didn’t go down with his fans and their sentiments. Reacting to Kohli’s legacy in T20Is and retirement, he has yet again delivered a scathing assessment.

Speaking about Kohli's evolution across formats, Manjrekar emphasized that the dashing right-hander can excel in ODI cricket for 10 more years, but he is not a T20 batter that the world loves to watch. He mentioned that the time passed when he was dominating the T20 format, saying things are now different and he made the right decision to retire from T20I cricket.

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.”

He pointed out a notable IPL season where Kohli dominated with runs and sixes, showcasing his power-hitting abilities. However, Manjrekar noted that with age, Kohli, like Sachin Tendulkar, has seen a decline in his power hitting, affecting his T20 performances.

He suggested that Kohli's approach in T20s needs adjustment to dominate the format, so he must focus on formats, where his strengths align best, and that are Test and ODI cricket.

He's not fit for T20s anymore: Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli's retirement

Furthermore, the cricket pandit has hinted that the former Indian skipper has recognized his challenges in adapting his T20 game to maintain consistency at this stage of his career, and that’s why he decided to call time on his T20I career.

Notably, Kohli had a remarkable IPL 2024 season, but he struggled for runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 before his match-defining knock 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.”