Shubman Gill has offered a firm and measured response to Sanjay Manjrekar’s recent remarks about Virat Kohli’s international career choices, pushing back against the idea that ODIs are the “easiest” format. Speaking on the eve of India’s three-match ODI series against New Zealand, the Indian ODI and Test captain underlined that success in 50-over cricket demands just as much mental strength and consistency as any other format.

Gill was reacting to Manjrekar’s social media video, where the former India batter suggested that Kohli opted to extend his career in ODIs after retiring from Tests and T20Is because the format is more batter-friendly. Manjrekar pointed to limited assistance for bowlers and defensive field settings as reasons why ODI batting, especially at the top, is comparatively easier.

Gill, however, was quick to shut down that narrative. He highlighted India’s long wait for an ICC title in the 50-over format as clear evidence that ODIs are far from straightforward. “If ODIs were that easy, we would have won more World Cups since 2011,” Shubman Gill said, stressing that no format allows room for complacency at the elite level.

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According to Gill, winning major tournaments requires resilience, persistence and determination, regardless of the format. He added that reducing ODIs to an “easier option” ignores the sustained pressure, adaptability and mental discipline needed to succeed across long innings and high-stakes games.

Manjrekar also suggested that Kohli could have followed the path taken by contemporaries like Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson by focusing on Test cricket and stepping away from ODIs. In his explanation, he drew comparisons with past Indian greats, implying that batting at the top in ODIs was less demanding than grinding it out in Tests, while highlighting finishers like MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina as examples of players who performed the toughest roles in the format.

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Kohli, who excelled across all three formats for over a decade, eventually retired from Test cricket in May after a gradual dip in red-ball returns. With his focus now firmly on ODIs, the former India captain is reportedly targeting a place in the 2027 ODI World Cup, aiming to finish his career on another global high.