BCCI’s decision of resting Rohit-Kohli backfired says Manjrekar
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s recent struggles in Test cricket have raised questions about their preparation and form. Both modern greats, known for their stellar performances over the years, have looked off-color in the last two Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Their rhythm, form, and mindset appeared out of sync, leading to widespread criticism. However, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes that the blame doesn’t rest solely on Kohli and Rohit but also on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors.
Manjrekar argues that the BCCI made a grave mistake by resting the senior players from the Duleep Trophy 2024, which could have served as ideal preparation for the Test series. Rohit and Kohli hadn’t played any red-ball cricket for six months before the Bangladesh series, and the lengthy gap between matches likely contributed to their lack of form. Despite having over a month of rest between the Sri Lanka ODIs and the Bangladesh Tests, the BCCI chose to rest them further instead of allowing them to sharpen their skills in domestic cricket.
Manjrekar emphasized on X (formerly Twitter) that “resting well-rested players” was a mistake. He suggested that playing in the Duleep Trophy would have been beneficial for both Rohit and Kohli.