Virat Kohli Sanjay Manjrekar. Image Credits: X
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has come out strongly in support of Virat Kohli after a fresh debate erupted over the star’s decision to continue playing ODI cricket following his Test retirement.
The discussion gained momentum after Sanjay Manjrekar suggested that 50-over cricket is the “easiest format” for top-order batters.
Kaif dismissed such claims and defended Kohli’s legacy, calling the arguments against him “childish and foolish.”
Mohammad Kaif slams Manjrekar, hypes Kohli’s legacy
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Mohammad Kaif made it clear that no format of cricket is easy, especially for batters. He also added that legends across eras are still playing the game, and none come close to Kohli’s all-format record
Kaif said Virat Kohli has nothing left to prove, having scored over 9000 runs and 30 centuries in Test cricket.
According to the ex-cricketer, these numbers alone show the level of skill and mental strength Kohli brings to the game.
Kaif pointed out that batting is the toughest job in cricket because one ball can end everything. He said it does not matter whether a player is on zero or on a hundred, a single mistake can send him back.
He dismissed the idea that Virat Kohli chose an easy option by focusing on ODIs, calling such opinions unfair and unrealistic.
What did Manjrekar say, and why did it spark debate?
The debate started after Sanjay Manjrekar shared his views on social media, saying he was disappointed that Virat Kohli retired from Tests but continued playing ODIs.
Manjrekar claimed that ODI cricket is the easiest format for top-order batters and suggested that many players prefer batting in the top three in ODIs because of field restrictions and less attacking fields.
He also said that the real challenge in ODIs is batting in the middle order, naming players like MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh as examples.
Manjrekar later doubled down on his comments, saying ODIs are the last format he would look at to judge a batting great.
Virat Kohli lets the bat do the talking
While the debate continues off the field, Virat Kohli has responded in the best way possible, which is with runs. In the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara, he played a brilliant knock of 93 off 91 balls to help India chase down 301 in a tight contest.
Kohli is currently the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, only behind Sachin Tendulkar. His numbers across formats speak for themselves.
Certainly, he doesn’t need the validation of an ex-cricketer or any critic, for that matter, who hasn’t walked a mile in his shoes.
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