You’d think the last Indian player one would be worried about is Virat Kohli. But, according to Sanjay Manjrekar, the two-time T20 World Cup ‘Player of the Tournament’ might be an impediment to Men in Blue’s title-winning chances. Kohli, who’s coming into the mega-event after a blockbuster IPL 2024 season, has been India’s best batter in T20 World Cup history.
Virat Kohli standing between India & T20 World Cup trophy?
Not only does he have the most runs, but he also has the most fifties and the highest average for any player who’s batted in more than one edition. So why does Manjrekar think that Virat Kohli might stand between Team India and the T20 World Cup trophy? It’s the weight of responsibility that will hinder him and India, feels the cricketer-turned-commentator.
“The only worry, come the big game (semis and final), Virat will take it upon himself. You see that happening in all the big games; he feels obligated to bat longer due to the kind of stature he has in Indian cricket, to bat longer rather than bat freely. Rohit Sharma will do that (bat freely), no matter his stature; we saw that in the 50-over World Cup (2023). I’m worried about Virat Kohli when it comes to semis and finals,” Manjrekar said in the Star Sports Virtual Press Room Show.
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Anchors going extinct
Manjrekar also pointed out that you don’t need anchors anymore in T20 cricket. Kohli, who’s probably the best insurance batter the shortest format has seen, therefore, must also change his ways. The former Indian cricketer stated that while batting, you can’t afford to slow down, even if you lose early wickets.
“I don’t think there is a role for an anchor in T20 cricket, especially if you are batting first. If you are going to respect a bowler because you have lost a couple of wickets and you miss out on a couple of easy overs, that damage is permanent,” he said.
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