Manjrekar Criticized for Comments on Tendulkar and Ganguly

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar faced criticism on Thursday following a post on social media platform X, where he praised Virat Kohli at the expense of cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. Manjrekar commended Kohli for stepping into the No. 3 batting position during a test against New Zealand, attributing it to Kohli’s team-first mentality.

“Hats off to Virat Kohli! Coming out to bat at No. 3 because the team needed it. Ganguly, Tendulkar were very keen to open in white ball cricket, but never wanted to go up the order in Tests. That’s a true champion right there for you! Virat,” Manjrekar wrote. The comparison stirred backlash among fans for potentially disrespecting Tendulkar and Ganguly.

Analysis shows Manjrekar’s comment partially holds in Tendulkar’s case, who rarely batted in the top order during his Test career. However, Ganguly did open the batting in Test matches and recorded two centuries against England during his debut series, suggesting Manjrekar’s statement may not fully apply to him.

Kohli, usually batting lower down the order, took the No. 3 spot as Shubman Gill was sidelined with a stiff neck. Despite this shift, Kohli’s foray into the top order yielded no success as he was dismissed for a duck after facing nine deliveries from New Zealand’s Will O'Rourke. This unfortunate dismissal contributed to India’s significant collapse, being bowled out for a mere 46 runs, the country’s lowest home Test total.

New Zealand’s attack, led by Matt Henry who claimed 5-15, and debutant O’Rourke with figures of 4-22, devastated the Indian batting lineup at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Henry’s performance marked him as the third-fastest New Zealander to reach 100 Test wickets. The match, resuming after a washed-out first day, saw India struggling at 34-6 by lunchtime.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma clarified post-match that Kohli volunteered for the No. 3 role, stating, “We asked him whether he can bat at number three,” emphasizing the responsibility taken by experienced players in challenging circumstances. Sharma further attributed India’s batting woes to New Zealand’s effective use of familiar overcast conditions, making their deliveries difficult for Indian batsmen to counter.

Sharma remarked on the challenges ahead, noting that India needs to limit New Zealand’s runs to have a chance. As New Zealand leads by 140 runs, the Indian team aims to regroup and put on a stronger performance in the second innings, hoping to mount a comeback on a now-settled pitch.