Former India cricketer turned veteran commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has slammed the selectors for resting India captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the 2024 Duleep Trophy. The reaction came after both of them failed miserably against Bangladesh and New Zealand before the upcoming 2024-25 BorderGavaskar Trophy in Australia. And, he pointed out that the BCCI should not treat players based on their stature.

On Tuesday, Manjrekar wrote on X: “The big learning for the selectors from this home season is that do not rest the already well-rested players because of their stature. I say this again, both Rohit & Virat would only have benefited from playing the Duleep Trophy start of the season.”

The big learning for the selectors from this home season is that do not rest the already well rested players because of their stature.

I say this again, both Rohit & Virat would only have benefited from playing the Duleep Trophy start of the season.

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) November 5, 2024

Last five Tests:

Rohit Sharma: 133 runs @13.3
Virat Kohli: 192 runs @21.33
Shubman Gill: 308 @44
Rishabh Pant: 422 @46.88

However, ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Sunil Gavaskar has urged Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to practice more since they are in their mid-30s as well. He took the example of Sachin Tendulkar.

He said (via India Today): “I think you need to get the flow right and particularly in your mid-thirties, you got to be getting that bat speed the flow, everything, right? So rather than relax more, practice more matches is probably the answer. That’s the reason why Sachin Tendulkar was Sachin Tendulkar. He was so fiercely proud of what he could do and what he wanted to do for the team. Don’t forget the 200 at the Brabourne Stadium for Ranji champions Mumbai and the visiting Australian team.”

“Then when he went to Chennai, he asked Laxman Sivaramakrishnan to come and go around the wicket, create a rough around that area so that he could practise that slog sweep and the inside-out shot against Shane Warne. I don’t think there’s anything wrong, technically with both of them. I think, they all, you know, got some great deliveries, a couple of shots that Rohit Sharma played, but probably not really on at that stage.”

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s numbers in Australia:

Kohli – 1,352 runs in 13 Tests @54.08, including six tons and four fifties
Rohit – 408 runs in seven Tests @31.38, including three half-centuries