‘In foreign conditions, Virat Kohli is half the Indian batting’: Sanjay Manjrekar

[MenInG]

India captain Virat Kohli will be returning to India after the first Test against Australia which is slated to begin December 17 in Adelaide. Kohli has been granted paternity leave, and he will be returning home to be with his wife and Bollywood superstar Anushka Sharma for the birth of their child. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that despite India having players to fill in the void, Kohli’s absence is still a huge setback for India.

“Kohli not being there, after the first Test is a massive setback. In foreign conditions, Kohli is half the Indian batting, Pujara stepped up last time in Australia, Kohli has been India’s most dependable player in foreign conditions,” Manjrekar told news agency ANI.

“So his absence will be a huge setback. This particular series against Australia is a test of the depth of India’s cricket talent in Tests,” Manjrekar added.

Manjrekar feels stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane will be key for India in Kohli’s absence. Manjrekar reckons India will benefit from making Rahane bat in place of Kohli at No. 4, and mentioned certain permutations and combinations the team can try in the remaining three Tests after Kohli’s departure.

“In Virat’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane should step up and bat at number four. Hanuma Vihari can bat at number five, if Shubman is tried in the middle order, then he should bat at number six,” Manjrekar further said.

“Rahane has been averaging more than 50 in his last nine Tests, we will have to wait and see whether Rahane steps up. In fact, it’s a question of the entire batting line-up stepping up. We have only seen them in white-ball cricket,” he added.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cric...uge-setback/story-0fk2sJ7E1r6QJ1nNfb5NcM.html

 

[Proactive_]

Well Kohli wasn't India's highest scorer in it's last Test series in Australia, NZ and WI so I don't know what Manjrekar is talking about here. Doesn't hurt that Kohli's the only one in the test team who doesn't have to play with the pressure of getting dropped from the team like most other batsmen have to seeing Kohli and Shastri's nonsensical selection criteria over the years.

It's better if the Indian cricketing fraternity starts treating the Indian cricket team as the Indian cricket team first and Kohli's fiefdom later because the overhyping is nauseating at this point.

 

[Ab Fan]

Manjarekar is right here. Just look at SENA stats of others and then look at Kohli and you will get the answers.

 

[kingusama92]

Well Kohli wasn't India's highest scorer in it's last Test series in Australia, NZ and WI so I don't know what Manjrekar is talking about here. Doesn't hurt that Kohli's the only one in the test team who doesn't have to play with the pressure of getting dropped from the team like most other batsmen have to seeing Kohli and Shastri's nonsensical selection criteria over the years.

It's better if the Indian cricketing fraternity starts treating the Indian cricket team as the Indian cricket team first and Kohli's fiefdom later because the overhyping is nauseating at this point.

No one is as consistent as Kohli.

Pujara outscored him in Australia but was nowhere to be found NZ, SA, or WI. Is that someone you lean on for foreign conditions especially once Kohli isn't there to back him up?

Pujara's average drops from 48.66 to 38.20 as soon as he leaves India.

 

[Proactive_]

No one is as consistent as Kohli.

Pujara outscored him in Australia but was nowhere to be found NZ, SA, or WI. Is that someone you lean on for foreign conditions especially once Kohli isn't there to back him up?

Pujara's average drops from 48.66 to 38.20 as soon as he leaves India.

Yes because Kohli was so awesome in NZ last time around. Pujara scored twice the runs as Kohli did in NZ as well. Kohli's record in WI isn't something to shout about either if we're rounding off the discussion about foreign conditions.

The point being that Kohli isn't "half of India's batting" in foreign conditions. He is far from it. And I'm willing to bet that if he weren't the captain and saner heads were in charge of team selection; other batsmen would have significantly better records as well since they could actually play without the constant pressure of getting dropped every second test (Rahane in SA, Pujara in England), something Kohli doesn't know much of.

 

[tyron_woodley]

1) Gill. -. Potential is there
2) Mayank - beast
3) Puji - beast
4) Rahane - outside India actually has a fine average. Ideally I don't want him but he is VC. I am giving him a chance.
5) Rahul - solid player
6)Pant - potential is there if he is actually fit.
7) ashwin - can add depth
8) jaddu - quality all rounder.
9) Siraj or Saini - talent is there in red ball. you will be surprised.
10)Bumrah - top class
11) Shami - top class

We badly need Bhuvi and pandya but pandya can't bowl and buvi injured.
I think we should just go with both Ashwin and jaddu Bhai.
Take vihari out because he is suspect vs bounce.

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

Sanjay is right.
In New Zealand pujara scored 100 kohli scored 50 both failed badly so no point im comparing.
In Sa and eng kohli alone was the reason we were atleast competitive.

Actually defending Rahane by saying that he didn't get consistent chances shows us how desperate people are to blame everything on Kohli.
Rahane doesn't have an innings of note against top teams in tests since a long time. (away)
He bats at the easiest position and still he doesn't even have one single series in his career where he dominated throughout the tour.
This should be Rahanes last chance.

 

[kingusama92]

Yes because Kohli was so awesome in NZ last time around. Pujara scored twice the runs as Kohli did in NZ as well. Kohli's record in WI isn't something to shout about either if we're rounding off the discussion about foreign conditions.

The point being that Kohli isn't "half of India's batting" in foreign conditions. He is far from it. And I'm willing to bet that if he weren't the captain and saner heads were in charge of team selection; other batsmen would have significantly better records as well since they could actually play without the constant pressure of getting dropped every second test (Rahane in SA, Pujara in England), something Kohli doesn't know much of.

Yes, I agree he's not half of India's batting. That's an exaggeration.

But Kohli over his career has outperformed them away from home. If that is because he doesn't have the pressure of being dropped then that's obviously something we can't verify.

Although, I would assume the pressures of being an Indian captain and having to face the media after losses are just as tough.

It's not an easy job at the best of times and his replacement will realize that starting from the 2nd test especially with no Kohli for run support.

 

[Ab Fan]

Kohli averages 46 in SENA. Rest average below 40 in SENA. Rohit and Rahul average below 30.

Fact is that we are a mediocre batting lineup in SENA conditions. Even Kohli himself does not average 50 in SENA like a Tendulkar or Dravid or Gavaskar. But others are even worse. We are awfully mediocre test nation overseas.

 

[Ab Fan]

^ Or rather test batting lineup overseas.

 

[tyron_woodley]

^ Or rather test batting lineup overseas.

Perfectly analysed. Our bowling is top class. Our batting always lets us down overseas.
But part of the problem is our management as we don't pick right players for the right condtions.

 

[Third Man]

Kohli averages 46 in SENA. Rest average below 40 in SENA. Rohit and Rahul average below 30.

Fact is that we are a mediocre batting lineup in SENA conditions. Even Kohli himself does not average 50 in SENA like a Tendulkar or Dravid or Gavaskar. But others are even worse. We are awfully mediocre test nation overseas.

Not many subcontinent teams have had more than one or two players with 40+ average in SENA. If that were the case, we'd have had a much better record there.

 

[MenInG]

Calling Virat Kohli irreplaceable, Michael Clarke reckons India will have accomplished something unbelievable should they be able to beat Australia without their captain in the upcoming Test series. Kohli is to return home next month after the first Test in Adelaide to be with his pregnant wife.

India will take on Australia in a four-match Test series starting December 17 after the conclusion of limited-overs matches. Their start to the tour has been far from ideal though after having lost the first two ODIs to concede the three-match series.

“There are probably two sides to Virat, one is the captaincy part and the other is the batting part,” Clarke told India Today. “Who is going to bat in place of Virat. KL Rahul is very talented, there is no doubt about it. I think he is experienced, playing in these conditions before. He can do .”

While Clarke feels that Kohli is irreplaceable, India do have pretty good options.

“But Virat Kohli’s boots can never be filled by anybody. I love Jinx (Rahane). He is a great player. His captaincy is pretty good. Tactically, he is a very good captain and it’s going to be good for India. You have got to see it as an opportunity. You have got to try and create history,” Clarke said.

“If India can beat Australia at Australia’s own backyard without Virat Kohli, you can celebrate for a year. That will be an unbelievable win,” he added.

Kohli’s absence though weakens India’s claim but Clarke says their players should be confident to take on the might of Australia in order to return home with a win.

“I think that’s the way Indian players have to look at it. They have to believe they are good enough to take on and beat this Australian team,” Clarke said.

Earlier, Clarke had said for India to have any chance of beating Australia in Tests, Kohli will have to set the tone before returning home otherwise they can very well suffer a 0-4 whitewash.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...can-beat-australia-without-virat-kohli-959344

 

[Proactive_]

Not really Sanjay.

 

[gazza619]

Not really Sanjay.

May be India could have scored 700 this time with Kohli in the team

 

[TeamPak95]

And the other half is Jinks.

 

[shah_1]

Australian team would have definitely lost by an innings if Kohli was there

 

[mystical man]

May be India could have scored 700 this time with Kohli in the team

Or Australia would have scored 300 runs due to brainless field set ups for the bowlers by our kaptaan