India’s batting superstar, Virat Kohli, returned to his form with the bat after struggling for nearly three years. However, the dashing right-hander is still struggling to get going in Test cricket, but he has delivered fantastically in limited-overs cricket since the Asia Cup 2022.
As Kohli and Rohit Sharma returned to action with the ODI series against Sri Lanka at home, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar said that the 50-over format would really help the senior batters to return to their beast mode ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
Manjrekar also predicted that 2023 will be a brilliant year for Kohli to come back to his original heights, and the former Indian skipper could have a great ODI World Cup 2023 at home.
Sanjay Manjrekar said on Star Sports: “It's 2023, it's a 50-overs World Cup year. The 50-overs format is brilliant for people who want to get into form. Guys who are short on confidence. It's going to be great for Rohit Sharma. 50-overs cricket is right down his lane, he is already an all-time great. The 50-overs format suits him the most.”
The cricket pundit further said, “In 50 overs format, 65 percent of the runs that are scored are in ones and twos, and Virat Kohli loves getting his runs through ones and twos. This will take the pressure off. T20Is, he feels the pressure of going after the bowling. This might just be a brilliant year for Virat Kohli to come back to his original heights.”
Speaking on Kohli’s lean patch he went through before the Asia Cup 2022, Manjrekar noted: “See, he has got those innings. Let's be fair. Even when the hundreds haven't come, he has scored runs, he has been in form. We have said multiple times in the last two years that he has been in form.”
He signed off by saying, “But, the form doesn't carry on. After a hundred, the next two-three innings are not big scores. That's what we are waiting for. This format will allow him. It will give time for Virat Kohli to be the consistent player that he was known as.”
(With Star Sports Inputs)
