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How Virat Kohli Made Sanjay Manjrekar Go From 'Does Not Belong Here' To 'Biggest Brand'

Jatin

Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket [Source: @ImTanujSingh, @CricCrazyJohns, @sanjaymanjrekar/x.com]Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket [Source: @ImTanujSingh, @CricCrazyJohns, @sanjaymanjrekar/x.com]

The King has finally hung up his Test boots. After 14 years, 123 matches and 9230 runs, Virat Kohli’s red-ball journey has come to a close.

The man who once walked in as a rookie with spiky hair and raw nerves, walked out as a legend who gave Test cricket a new lease of life. But would you believe it if we told you that once upon a time, folks were ready to write him off before he had even taken off?

Let’s rewind to the beginning when one tweet nearly ended a dream and another, years later, paid tribute to the same dream.

The 2012 Tweet That Almost Buried Virat

Back in 2012, things weren’t all sunshine and six-packs for Virat Kohli. He was in Australia, going through what cricketers call a proper trial by fire. Bouncy tracks, swinging new balls and bowlers breathing fire, Kohli looked out of place.

In the first two Tests, he scored 11, 0, 23, and 9. Critics sharpened their knives and the calls to drop him grew louder. Even Sanjay Manjrekar had his say and let’s just say it wasn’t a vote of confidence. He tweeted:

“I would still drop VVS & get Rohit in for the next Test. Makes long term sense. give Virat 1 more Test.. just to be sure he does not belong here.”


MS Dhoni And Sehwag's Gut Call

While everyone outside the dressing room was ready to cut the cord, inside the camp, two voices rose in support. MS Dhoni and Virender Sehwag weren’t done backing the boy from Delhi. They wanted Kohli to play that third Test at Perth. That was the lifeline.

What followed was a gritty 44 and 75 on one of the toughest decks in world cricket. Fast bowlers love Perth. Batters? Not so much. But Virat showed fight. He showed guts.

And then in Adelaide, he showed class, bringing up his first-ever Test ton. And not just any ton. he was the only Indian batter to score a hundred on that tour.

From Fringe Player To Firestarter

That tour flipped the script. Kohli’s Test career went from hanging by a thread to becoming the heartbeat of Indian batting. No more talks of replacement. No more doubts. He didn’t just cement his place, he built a fortress.

Fast forward a few years and Virat wasn’t just scoring tons, he was leading India to overseas glories. He captained India during the iconic 2018-19 series win Down Under. The same country where he was almost dropped.

The 2024 Tweet That Brought It All Home

Now here is where the tale comes full circle. The same Sanjay Manjrekar who once doubted Kohli’s Test credentials, penned a tweet after his retirement that hit every fan in the feels:

“Biggest brand of the modern cricket era who gave it all for cricket’s oldest format. Test cricket owes that debt to Virat Kohli.”

From “does not belong here” to “biggest brand”. this wasn’t just a change of heart. It was a bow of respect to a man who never backed down from a fight, especially when the pitch got tough and the critics got louder.

And now, as he walks into the sunset of his Test career, one thing’s certain, he didn’t just play Test cricket. He saved it for a whole generation.