Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has shared his views on the emerging identity of young Indian cricketers, who are proving their mettle independently of seasoned players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Historically, both Sharma and Kohli have faced the challenge of carrying the batting burden, often under immense pressure to deliver bulk runs for the team.
However, in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2024, several young Indian cricketers have stepped up in crucial moments, providing significant contributions even when the iconic duo of Rohit and Virat failed to fire. This shift was particularly notable after India’s semi-final exit against England in the T20 World Cup 2022, where the experienced pair bore the brunt of the run-scoring pressure.
Sanjay Manjrekar Opines on Indian players rising from the shadow of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli
In a recent interview, Sanjay Manjrekar praised the young Indian squad for alleviating some of the pressure from Rohit and Virat, allowing these veterans more freedom in their play. “Rohit and Virat are still obvious icons in this team and for its fans, but India, as we have seen in this WC, have moved on. It is now a team of 11, not just one or two. Come the semis, when the challenge gets stiffer and India plays with the realization that they will be knocked out of the tournament if they lose, Rohit and Virat must continue to embrace this attitude. The last thing India wants is a repeat of the semis of the last T20 WC when both Rohit and Virat took it upon themselves to be the ones to lead India’s fight against a strong England side, which backfired badly,” Sanjay Manjrekar remarked.
Despite his praise, Manjrekar expressed concerns over the performance of Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh, particularly in high-pressure knockout matches against top teams. He highlighted that while Jasprit Bumrah remains a standout bowler, Arshdeep’s effectiveness under pressure is yet to be proven.
” I also have one minor concern regarding India’s seam quality (barring the genius of Bumrah, of course); I am not so sure about Arshdeep against a strong team on a pressure stage. This aside, India seems to have all bases covered,” Manjrekar added.
Currently topping the points table, India has a strong chance of advancing to the semifinals. Their next Super 8s match is scheduled against Australia on June 24, where the team will look to continue their impressive run to advance to the knockout stages of the tournament.
