Sanjay Manjrekar Recalled How Virat Kohli Reversed Test Fortunes After Being On The Verge Of Getting Dropped

Dec 14, 2020 at 11:55 AM

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Sanjay Manjrekar Recalled How Virat Kohli Reversed Test Fortunes After Being On The Verge Of Getting Dropped

Sanjay Manjrekar recalled how Indian skipper Virat Kohli reversed his Test fortunes around in his early years in the 2011-12 tour of Australia with a few crucial performances in the last two Tests after being on the verge of being dropped. He scored 44, 75, 116 and 22 in last two tests after dismal scores of 11,0,23 and 9 in first two tests.

Sanjay Manjrekar credited the then Indian captain MS Dhoni for backing Virat Kohli despite making less than 30 in each innings in the first two Tests. Prior to that, Virat Kohli had a pathetic West Indies tour too which was his first series scoring only 76 runs in three Tests in 2011.

Sanjay Manjrekar
Sanjay Manjrekar. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Sanjay Manjrekar: Virat Kohli Was On Verge Of Getting Dropped But MS Dhoni Backed Him

With MS Dhoni backing the youngster, Virat Kohli made 44 and 75 in Perth before hitting his maiden Test century in the final Test in Adelaide. India lost the series 0-4 but Virat Kohli emerged a star batsman to watch out for in future.

“Virat Kohli is Virat Kohli. He always finds ways to score runs,” Manjrekar said on the Sony Sports Network. “The hundred that he scored in the 2011/12 series, India lost it 0-4. They’d lost to England 0-4. And I think that was the only century scored by an Indian in that series. He was a young man who actually was on the verge of getting dropped after Sydney. Dhoni backed him; he played in Perth scored a 70 and then he got that hundred.”

MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

“Now at Adelaide, a lot of Indian batsmen have got runs. It’s a pitch closer to home. It’s got pace but the bouncer comes around chest high. It’s like an Indian pitch, but because it’s day/night and there’s going to be the pink ball, that changes things completely. The thing with Virat Kohli is that later, in 2014/15, he hit four hundreds,” Manjrekar added.

The four hundreds Sanjay Manjrekar mentions includes twin tons in the Adelaide Test of 2014. India lost the series 0-2 but Virat Kohli had smashed 692 runs from four Tests averaging 86.5 with as many as 4 tons. India then defeated Australia in the 2018-19 series down under 2-1 which was their maiden win in Australia.

Sanjay Manjrekar mentions India have more wins at Adelaide because the pitch doesn’t have two bounce but this time around, things are different for it will be a day-night encounter. Sanjay Manjrekar mentions that the presence of Virat Kohli in the 1st test will boost India’s chances.

Greg Chappell: Virat Kohli Embodies The New India As His Idea Is To Dominate The Opposition

Earlier, former Australian batsman, Greg Chappell had praised Indian skipper Virat Kohli in Sydney Morning Herald by saying his idea is to dominate the opposition by being aggressive on the field.

“Virat Kohli does not believe in passive resistance. He is a proponent of all-out aggression. His idea is to dominate the opposition.”

“Kohli is the most Australian non-Australian cricketer of all time. He embodies the new India. As the premier player and captain of the world’s pre-eminent cricket power, he feels an abiding responsibility to the wider game.”

Greg Chappell
Greg Chappell

India will take on Australia in a much-awaited four-match Test series in Border Gavaskar trophy from December 17 but their talisman batsman will leave for home after the first game’s conclusion for the birth of his first child.

“The fact that Kohli champions Test cricket is a huge plus for a format under pressure for time and space in a crowded schedule,” Chappell said.

“Test cricket has always been the pinnacle for him and it has driven him to be fitter and stronger to cope with its demands. It is why he drives his team in these areas because he wants India to be respected in the most demanding format.”

Virat Kohli will be India bound after the first Adelaide pink-ball Test for the birth of his first child and will miss the last 3 tests. Rohit Sharma meanwhile will be available for last 2 tests after recovering from a hamstring injury.

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