Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has sparked fresh debate after leaving Virat Kohli out of his list of top batters for IPL 2025. The former batsman-turned-commentator shared his picks on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, naming the likes of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, but conspicuously omitting the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) icon.
Kohli, who has been instrumental in RCB’s strong showing this season, recently played a match-winning knock of 70 off 42 balls to help his side post 205/5 against Rajasthan Royals. His effort set up a vital 11-run win, ending RCB’s losing streak at home. Despite his consistent contributions, Kohli found no place in Manjrekar’s best batters list.
Manjrekar’s list highlighted Nicholas Pooran from Lucknow Super Giants, who has amassed 377 runs at an explosive strike rate of 204.89. Punjab Kings opener Priyansh Arya was another name, courtesy of his 254 runs at a strike rate above 200. PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer was picked for his 263 runs at a brisk rate of 185.21, while Mumbai Indians’ Suryakumar Yadav made it with 373 runs at 167.
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Further, Gujarat Titans’ Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill, along with Australia’s Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head, were acknowledged for their aggressive batting. Heinrich Klaasen’s power-packed performances and KL Rahul’s 323 runs at a strike rate of 153.80 also earned spots.
When it comes to batting only list that matters.Big runs with great SR so far.
Pooran : 377 runs SR 205
Priyansh Arya : 254 runs SR 202
Shreyas : 263 runs SR 185
Surya : 373 runs SR 167
Buttler : 356 runs SR 166
Mitchell Marsh : 344 runs SR 161
Travis Head: 261 runs SR…
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 26, 2025
What stood out, however, was the omission of Kohli, who remains RCB’s leading run-scorer with 392 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 144.11. Kohli is also second in the Orange Cap race, trailing only Sai Sudharsan.
While Kohli’s strike rate may not match the outrageous numbers of others in the list, his consistency and ability to anchor innings have been vital for RCB. Notably, all five of his half-centuries this season have come in RCB victories, highlighting his importance to the team’s fortunes.
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With six wins from nine games, RCB sit comfortably in third place with 12 points and look well poised for a playoff berth. As the business end of IPL 2025 approaches, the franchise and its fans will be counting on Kohli to maintain his rich vein of form in their pursuit of a long-awaited maiden title.
