NEW DELHI: In the midst of the ongoing deliberations regarding Virat Kohli's potential inclusion in India's squad for the T20 World Cup next year, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has emphasised the imperative of showcasing exceptional performance in the shortest format.
Speaking on Star Sports, Manjrekar underscored the need for Kohli to prove himself a superior choice compared to the emerging talents, particularly against the competition posed by Hardik Pandya.
"Virat Kohli will have to show that he is a better option than the youngsters who are playing currently, and Rohit Sharma as T20 batter and captain vs Hardik Pandya, the T20 batter, all-rounder and captain," Manjrekar commented on the potential selection dilemma.
The former cricketer's remarks come during Kohli's break from limited-overs cricket following India's defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final, where Kohli emerged as the tournament's top run-scorer.
As the debate on Kohli's role in the T20 format intensifies, Manjrekar stressed the importance of selecting the squad based on current form rather than reputation, advocating for a straightforward approach.
"Who knows what's in store in life? I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I believe the approach should be extremely simple. Pick your team based on form close to the World Cup," Manjrekar stated, urging the team management to prioritise performance over established reputations.
1/10:India clinch T20I series 4-1 with a thrilling victory over Australia
IANS
2/10:Shreyas Iyer's heroics
India posted 160/8 after Shreyas Iyer propelled the total with his 37-ball 53 knock despite losing regular wickets after the tourists elected to field first in Bengaluru.AFP
3/10:Impressive bowling performance
Fast bowler Mukesh Kumar (3-32), leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2-29) and left-arm spinner Axar Patel (1-14) stood out as the hosts, who took an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the fourth T20I, restricted Australia to 154/8.AFP
4/10:Arshdeep's final over heroics
It was left-arm quick Arshdeep who defended nine in the last over when he began with two dot balls and then the wicket of skipper Matthew Wade for 22 to dim Australia's hopes.PTI
5/10:India's fearless approach
"It was a good series from day one," skipper Suryakumar Yadav said. "We wanted to be fearless and enjoy ourselves when we were in the middle. So, very happy with that."AFP
6/10:Consolation for Indian fans
It was a second-string Indian team which gave some consolation to the fans who witnessed hosts India lose the ODI World Cup final to Australia on November 19 in Ahmedabad.PTI
7/10:Ben McDermott's valiant effort
Ben McDermott smashed 54 off 36 deliveries but the batting wobbled after his departure and Mukesh struck twice on two deliveries to dent the chase.PTI
8/10:Controversial no-ball
A rising delivery from Arshdeep at the start of the final over made Wade angry as he signalled to the umpires for a no-ball. Wade protested and got out two balls later to take back his team's hopes, still dejected and waving his bat.AP
9/10:Learning from tough conditions
"It would've been nice to get the result, but we learn and I thought Ben McDermott bounced back, Behrendorff, Dwarshuis, Sangha made an impact in tough conditions," skipper Wade said.AFP
10/10:Iyer's match-winning partnerships
Iyer put on fighting partnerships of 42 with Jitesh Sharma, who made 24, and 46 with Axar, who hit back with 31 from 21 balls and was named man of the match.APLooking ahead to the 2024 T20 World Cup, Manjrekar acknowledged the competitive landscape and suggested that India's team management should focus on playing more 20-over matches to optimise their preparation for the global tournament.
The 'Men In Blue' clinched a 4-1 victory in the T20I series against Australia in Bengaluru. Shreyas Iyer's impactful innings of 53 runs from 37 balls, coupled with an all-round performance by Axar Patel (31 off 21 balls), played pivotal roles in India posting a total of 160. Despite a spirited Australian chase, Arshdeep's outstanding last-over efforts secured a narrow win for the hosts.
(With inputs from ANI)
