Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that nobody should be considering Virat Kohli and Steve Smith’s World Cup careers ending after the 2023 ODI World Cup. Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are regarded as two of the finest cricketers of this era in all three formats of the game.
The star Indian batter came into the 2011 edition of the competition as a youngster who has shown prowess in Under-19 and domestic cricket and has established himself as one of the modern-day greats, while Steve Smith has done a brilliant job for the Australia team playing a pivotal role in the team’s victory in 2015 ODI World Cup and it is widely expected that both players might play their final ODI World Cup.
Speaking on Star Sports, Sanjay Manjrekar feels that it is unfair to speak about Virat Kohli and Steve Smith playing their final ODI World Cup and reckons that these players are putting in the hard yards to keep themselves fit for the bigger games.
“We should never say things like that with people like Virat Kohli and Steve Smith, because these are guys who love batting so much and are willing to put in the hard yards to keep batting forever and batting at a certain level,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.
Virat Kohli and Steve Smith’s careers will be in their twilight phase during the 2027 ODI World Cup. Despite being one of the fittest cricketers of this generation, it may be difficult for both players to remain a part of their respective teams due to the emergence of new talents.
These Are Guys Who Are Very Good In That Middle Section – Sanjay Manjrekar
The former cricketer continued by pointing out that both Kohli and Smith have been crucial for their teams in the middle stages of games, especially in the ODI format of the game, and believes that it is the more important phase of the game that would decide the fate of the result in the bigger matches.
“So, yes, Virat Kohli, 50 overs is his format. Steve Smith as well. Doesn’t fit perfectly in T20 cricket, but these are guys who are very good in that middle section when the game seems a little flat and boring. But this is the phase of the game that decides the fate of the game, and that’s where Steve Smith and Virat Kohli are invaluable for the side,” Sanjay Manjrekar added.
Virat Kohli is a brilliant batter across the three formats of the game, his domination in ODI cricket has been of a different level altogether, while Steve Smith has remained a stalwart of Australian cricket for over a decade or so in International cricket
