New Delhi: Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar criticised the clubbing together of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test cricket, suggesting Rohit’s average would have slumped further had he been part of India’s squad for the upcoming Test series against England. Manjrekar mentioned Kohli and Rohit’s performances in Tests overseas to highlight why there was no comparison between the duo.
Manjrekar took to social media to share a video where he spoke about the clubbing together of Kohli and Rohit in Tests and compared their careers in the longest format. Both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirements from Test cricket last month. Rohit was the first to confirm his retirement after it was made clear to him that the selectors are looking at a new captain for India in the longest format.
Kohli announced his retirement soon after Rohit. Shubman Gill has been appointed as India’s new Test skipper and will be leading the team in the upcoming five-match Test series against England. While Manjrekar insisted he can understand comparing Kohli to Rohit in white-ball cricket, he mentioned Rohit’s lack of centuries in SENA countries and said the former captain’s average would have dropped in England.
“It stirred up the bee in my bonnet, which has been there for a while. It’s not so much about the statement, but the fact that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli tend to get clubbed together. We even have a term for them, RoKo. I can understand it in white-ball cricket but when it comes to red-ball cricket, there’s absolutely no comparison between the two,” Manjrekar said in the video on his Instagram account.
“Virat Kohli has got 12 hundreds. Rohit Sharma in SENA countries — just the one, against England at The Oval in 2021. And I dare say, had he gone to England, that average would have dropped into the 30s. So, when it comes to red-ball cricket, I say, RoKo, stop that,” he added.
Rohit Sharma vs Virat Kohli in Tests
Manjrekar’s argument against clubbing together Rohit and Kohli in Tests holds water as both batters were miles apart in the longest format. Kohli finished his Test career with 9230 runs in 123 matches at an average of 46.85, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties.
On the other hand, Rohit, who struggled to cement his spot in India’s Test team for the majority of his career, finished with 4301 runs in 67 matches at an average of 40.57, including 12 hundreds. Kohli notched up 12 hundreds in SENA countries, proving his mettle in all sorts of conditions across the globe. Rohit’s only overseas Test ton came against England at the Oval in 2021.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has opposed clubbing together of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test cricket, suggesting that Rohit’s average would have dropped further had he been part of India’s squad in the upcoming Test series against England. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
