All posts tagged: Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli

Why Sanjay Manjrekar feels Virat Kohli is ‘very sensitive to criticism’?

Why Sanjay Manjrekar feels Virat Kohli is ‘very sensitive to criticism’?

3 min readMay 12, 2026 04:40 PM IST Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli is extremely sensitive to criticism, claiming the star batter reads and hears everything said about him. Manjrekar shared incidents where he received a “cold” response from Kohli at the toss after making negative remarks about him. “Kohli is somebody who is also very sensitive to criticism. I think he gets to know what is being said about him because I have had an experience with him as a captain and as a player. Suddenly one day I would find him very cold at the toss or whatever, and I would think, perhaps he heard something that was said about him,” Manjrekar said on Sportstar’s Insight Edge Podcast. Manjrekar said that while Kohli claims not to care about what people say or think about him, the former India captain reacts to criticism or negativity through his performance on the field. “So he is one of those first guys who kept saying, ‘We don’t care about what people say and why.’ …

‘Let’s not panic’: Sanjay Manjrekar urges calm after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retirements | Cricket News

‘Let’s not panic’: Sanjay Manjrekar urges calm after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retirements | Cricket News

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that there was no need to panic after the back to back retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the space of a week, adding that the Indian team managed to move forward even after the Fab Four, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly, all hung up their boots. “I know there’ll be a few fans concerned. There was a sense of panic when the fab four quit all at the same time, but guess what? A couple of years later, India was the number one Test team in the world,” Manjrekar said on Instagram “So, as long as I believe in this very strongly, as long as the sport is popular in India and there are enough young players, youth, desperate to play for India, and there are thousands in India, which means anybody who sort of comes through that kind of a grind has to be quality talent,” said Manjrekar. Manjrekar also said that when Laxman, Ganguly, Dravid and Tendulkar retired, it …

Virat Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar | Cricket News

Virat Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket: Sanjay Manjrekar | Cricket News

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar says Virat Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket before the Test series in England and insists that he should seek inspiration from Cheteshwar Pujara and play county cricket. Kohli managed only 190 runs in 9 innings in Australia. Barring one century at the Perth, his batting has been underwhelming. “Kohli needs to play a lot of red-ball cricket,” Manjrekar said in the latest episode of Star Sports’ Deep Point podcast. “The first Test in England is in June, while the County Championship begins in April. “He could join a county team, as Pujara did, and gain valuable match practice. Virat Kohli ended the Australia series with a lowly 190 runs at a 23.75 average. (AP) “India can then evaluate his performances in the initial Test matches. “If there are positive signs, he can continue. But the last thing you want is Kohli going there and struggling, as we’ve seen before. “That wouldn’t be good for Indian cricket. Playing county cricket could be a very sensible move for …

Virat Kohli’s ‘adamance’ of not finding any other way to tackle weakness outside off has led to his batting average slipping to 40s, feels Sanjay Manjrekar | Cricket News

Virat Kohli’s ‘adamance’ of not finding any other way to tackle weakness outside off has led to his batting average slipping to 40s, feels Sanjay Manjrekar | Cricket News

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Virat Kohli’s ‘adamance’ of not exploring any other way to overcome his weakness outside the off stump has been a key reason for his batting average sliding down to 48. Kohli, who had struck a century in the 1st Test could not build on that momentum in the 2nd Test at Adelaide, falling for just 7 as he deflected a rising ball by Mitchell Starc to the slip fielder. “One important reason why Virat’s average has slipped to 48 now, is the unfortunate weakness outside off. But more crucially his adamance to not try another way to tackle it,” Manjrekar posted on X. One important reason why Virat’s average has slipped to 48 now, is the unfortunate weakness outside off. But more crucially his adamance to not try another way to tackle it. — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 6, 2024 Kohli’s century against Australia last month came after a tough lean patch for the batter which led to him entering the average of 40s for the first time in …

Sanjay Manjrekar predicts what Australia’s strategy to target Virat Kohli will be | Cricket News

Sanjay Manjrekar predicts what Australia’s strategy to target Virat Kohli will be | Cricket News

With the five-Test Border Gavaskar Trophy starting in less than a week’s time, all eyes are on Virat Kohli. From the Australian media to former Australia cricketers, everyone seems to have indicated that they are focussed on one man in particular in the long series. Now, former cricketer-turned-analyst Sanjay Manjrekar has broken down how the Australian cricket team will try and target Virat Kohli. “I think Virat Kohli knows exactly what’s going to be planned (for him by the Australians). They’ll start with that line outside the off stump and gauge what his mindset is. These days, he often leaves balls outside off and looks to drive anything pitched up,” offered Manjrekar on Star Sports. He then went on to add: “Australia might also try to cramp Kohli for room and attack his body since he likes to get forward. This was a tactic New Zealand used effectively. If he’s focused on balls outside off stump, bowlers like Josh Hazlewood might target that typical Vernon Philander line on middle stump. Australia will test various strategies, …

Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli’s dismissal

Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli’s dismissal

Virat Kohli was dismissed for one run in the second Test against New Zealand in Pune on Friday in very unconventional fashion. Trying to slap a full toss from Mitchell Santner across the line, Kohli missed the ball’s trajectory completely and it slammed into the stumps. Kohli’s stint in the middle had lasted just nine balls. The dismissal, while absurd for the prolific India batter, also highlighted his struggles against spin on Asian conditions. Kohli has been dismissed 21 times in 26 innings against spinners in Asia in the past three years, with an average of 28. Of these, 10 dismissals have been to left-arm orthodox bowlers, against whom he averages 27.10. Understandably, Kohli walked off the ground seething after his soft dismissal. “Virat will know himself that he has just played the worst shot of his career to get out,” tweeted former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar. “Got to feel for him (Kohli)… cause as always, he came out with solid and honest intent.” Former India coach Anil Kumble opined in an interview on JioCinema …