All India Needs is One Bowling Superstar – Sanjay Manjrekar

Jan 9, 2019 at 3:50 PM

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All India Needs is One Bowling Superstar – Sanjay Manjrekar

Citing the example of Pakistan’s knack of producing bowling superstars in every generation, former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has said India needs its bowling superstar to inspire the upcoming generation.

“In India, we are a little more obsessed with batting. That is not the case with Pakistan, for example. When you look at Pakistan, superstars are mostly bowlers, starting with Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis. So their bowling heroes are revered more,” the 52-year-old said during an event on Wednesday (November 22).

Kohli is the current poster-boy of Indian cricket (Credits: BCCI)

“India has somehow produced greatness in sport through batsmanship and not so much from bowling. It is up to the fans to start making heroes out of bowlers, and I think that is starting to happen now,” he added.

Well, because the likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar in the past and now Virat Kohli get considered as the flag-bearer of Indian cricket, one cannot disagree to Manjrekar’s claims. However, the trend is changing at the moment with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah making their presence felt.

Manjrekar also admitted the Indian pacers’ making an impression at the moment is a nice trend but insisted it is up to the fans to make the bowlers superstars.

“We have game-changers like (Jasprit) Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar who are winning Man-of-the-Match or Man-of-the-Series awards. That’s a nice trend, a different trend, but at the end of the day, it’s the fans who have to embrace who their hero is. They like batsmen more,” he opined.

Bhuvneshwar recently starred with the ball in the first Test against Sri Lanka (Credits: BCCI)

“All India needs is one bowling superstar, and it will have amazing (impact) effect on younger kids. You have best academies and infrastructure in the world, but youngsters get inspired by bowling and batting heroes. Cricket inspires young cricketers,” he added.

Manjrekar also had a word of praise for Yuzvendra Chahal, the leg-spinner who has all but cemented his place in India’s limited-overs team. With his ability to bowl on all kinds of tracks at any stage, the right-arm leggie has become Virat Kohli’s man, and his brave attitude has left the cricketer-turned-commentator impressed.

Chahal has become Kohli’s go-to man (Credit: BCCI)

“What strikes me about (Yuzvendra) Chahal’s bowling, I have never seen a bowler in a T20 on a flat pitch, have the courage to ball in the zone where the batsman will usually hit it for a six, but he does that, and he backs himself. It’s amazing that the new generation, the kind of confidence that they have,” said Manjrekar.

Also Read: (India Vs Sri Lanka: Analysis for Second Test in Nagpur)

(IND Vs SL 2017: Team India’s Quest For a Number Six Batsman)

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