The cricketing world is no stranger to the vocal opinions of Sanjay Manjrekar, but the veteran commentator has found a persistent critic in Vikas Kohli, the elder brother of Indian legend Virat Kohli. Following India’s recent ODI series against New Zealand, the social media landscape ignited after Vikas took another pointed jab at Manjrekar, labelling him “Mr. Expert” in response to criticisms regarding Virat’s format choices.
The friction began when Manjrekar expressed public disappointment over Virat’s decision to retire from Test cricket while continuing to compete in One-Day Internationals. Manjrekar controversially characterized ODIs as the easiest format for top-order batters, suggesting that Kohli’s choice to remain in the 50-over game was a path of least resistance. These comments touched a nerve, especially given Kohli’s storied career and his recent struggles in the longest format prior to his Test retirement.
Vikas Kohli reignites feud with Sanjay Manjrekar
Virat’s performance on the field remains the ultimate rebuttal to his skeptics. During the series against New Zealand, the legendary batter reminded the world of his white-ball supremacy by smashing a magnificent 124 runs off just 108 deliveries. It was his 85th century in international matches, a statistic that underscores his continued dominance in the 50-over arena.
Despite Kohli’s heroics, India struggled to chase down a daunting target of 337 after the rest of the top order, including Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill faltered. It was this context of individual brilliance versus team struggle that prompted Vikas to head to the social media platform, Threads.
“I wonder if Mr Expert of Cricket has some suggestions for the easiest form of cricket. You need to be there to do that. Anyways, as I said, easier said than done,” Vikas posted on social media , directly challenging Manjrekar’s assessment. Days earlier, Vikas had mocked the “gyaan” (unsolicited advice) being offered by experts, reiterating that performing at the international level is far more difficult than analyzing it from a commentary box.
The debate over Test legacy and ODI longevity
The root of the tension lies in Manjrekar’s blunt critique of Virat’s final years in Test cricket. Manjrekar recently compared Kohli’s trajectory to that of Joe Root, noting that while the Englishman reached new heights, Kohli struggled with an average of 31 over five years before walking away. The commentator argued that Kohli didn’t put his heart and soul into fixing his technical issues in the red-ball format.
Manjrekar’s assertion that Kohli’s preference for ODIs is disappointing stems from his belief that the format offers a comfort zone for established batters. However, fans and family members like Vikas argue that this view dismisses the immense physical and mental toll required to maintain world-class standards in any international format.
As Virat continues to pile up centuries and inch closer to further milestones in the ODI format, the divide between the experts and the performers seems wider than ever. While Manjrekar maintains his right to technical critique, the Kohli camp remains steadfast in defending the legacy of a man who has carried the weight of Indian batting for over a decade.
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.
