Former Indian cricketer and cricket pundit Sanjay Manjrekar believes that Virat Kohli is likely to be highly motivated for India's upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.
Kohli has been out of action since India's loss to Australia in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Notably, during the previous tour to South Africa, the former Indian skipper failed to make an impact with the bat, scoring 161 runs in two Tests at an average of 40.25, with the highest score of 79.
Well, Manjrekar mentioned that when the 35-year-old Kohli gets 'angry', it tends to bring out the best in him as a batsman.
Sanjay Manjrekar said on Star Sports: “No (stump-mic aggression from last series repeat?) because we have a new leader in Rohit Sharma. But you are right, it brings back memories of players saying something that they have never done before, suggesting that the local broadcasters supported the South African team and all that.”
However, the cricket commentator isn’t expecting extra aggression from Kohli under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma in the upcoming Test series, starting on December 26.
He continued, “But that was a different temperamental team the last time around, under Rohit Sharma, they tend to play differently. It's always the captain who creates the culture, so I don't see that happening. I see Virat Kohli doing his own few things. He is going to get fired up.”
Manjrekar signed off by saying, “The last trip to South Africa, he did not get a big one and Kohli has had to work harder for Test runs recently. When Virat Kohli is all fired up and angry, that's the sight I like. David Warner as well. When they get a little fired up, you see them batting better.”
Notably, India won the three-match ODI series after levelling up the T20I series in South Africa. Now, both teams will face each other in the first Boxing Day Test from December 26.
(With Star Sports/PTI Inputs)
