Virat Kohli has recently faced scrutiny from cricket pundits who have expressed concerns about his decreasing strike rate in T20 Internationals. Despite being the Orange Cap holder in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2024, where he emerged as the top run-scorer, discussions about his strike rate have persisted.
After scoring a century in IPL 2024, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar criticized Kohli for his lacklustre strike rate. Kohli took 72 balls to score 113 runs against the Rajasthan Royals, which sparked debate among cricket experts. Sanjay Manjrekar, another former Indian cricketer, also weighed in on the matter, suggesting that Kohli tends to play a more conservative role in high-stakes games, which can hinder his ability to score freely.
Concerns about Kohli’s strike rate were amplified following his performance in the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup against England. In that match, Kohli scored 50 runs off 40 balls, and India ultimately lost. Manjrekar believes that Kohli struggles to accelerate his scoring in critical situations, which has been a recurring issue.
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“The only worry, come the big game (semis and final), Virat will take it upon himself. You see that happening in all the big games; he feels obligated to bat longer due to the kind of stature he has in Indian cricket, to bat longer rather than bat freely. Rohit Sharma will do that (bat freely), no matter his stature; we saw that in the 50-over World Cup (2023). I’m worried about Virat Kohli when it comes to semis and finals,” Sanjay Manjrekar remarked on the Star Sports Press Room Show.
Manjrekar’s observations are grounded in Kohli’s performance alongside KL Rahul during the World Cup 2023 final against Australia. Both batsmen adopted an anchor role, focusing on singles and doubles rather than accelerating the run rate in the middle overs. In T20 cricket, where aggressive batting is crucial, Manjrekar argues that there is little room for the anchor role, especially when setting a target.
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“I don’t think there is a role for an anchor in T20 cricket, especially if you are batting first. If you are going to respect a bowler because you have lost a couple of wickets and you miss out on a couple of easy overs, that damage is permanent,” Sanjay Manjrekar added.
These critiques underscore the broader challenge for Kohli as he navigates the expectations and pressures of high-stakes T20 matches, balancing his natural playing style with the aggressive demands of the format.
