Wed Sep 25 09:58:27 UTC 2024: ## India’s Test Win Masked by Kohli and Rohit’s Struggles: Manjrekar Calls for Equal Treatment
Despite a comfortable 280-run victory in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, India’s win was overshadowed by the underwhelming performance of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Neither player managed to register a significant score across the two innings, prompting former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar to question their absence from the Duleep Trophy.
Manjrekar criticized the BCCI for treating certain players differently based on their reputation, suggesting that Kohli and Rohit would have benefitted from playing some red-ball cricket in the Duleep Trophy.
“I’m not worried, but I’m sure somebody made a note of the fact that they would have been better off had they played some red-ball cricket,” Manjrekar said, adding that “Virat and Rohit not playing (Duleep Trophy) was not good for Indian cricket, nor was it good for the two players.”
While confident in their ability to bounce back, Manjrekar highlighted the issue of “special treatment” afforded to certain players in the Indian team, arguing that it ultimately harms them more than anyone else.
“This special treatment has been a problem with Indian cricket for a long time now,” he said. “It’s time to prioritize what’s best for Indian cricket and the players, not just their status.”
Despite the concerns, the series opener was a positive display for other Indian players, including Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and Ravindra Jadeja, who all contributed significantly to India’s dominant victory. The focus now shifts to the remaining two Test matches, where Kohli and Rohit will be aiming to regain form and silence their critics.
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