Sanjay Manjrekar had earlier claimed that the ODI format is the easiest for a top-order batsman to play; However, India captain Shubman Gill has clearly shrugged them off by saying that no format is ‘easy’.
One of India’s greatest batsmen, Virat Kohli, also known as the modern-day master of the longest format of international cricket, ODI, has been underrated by former Indian batsman Sanjay Manjrekar, who believes that ODI cricket is the easiest format for a top-order batsman.
The statement was made after Manjrekar opined about Kohli’s sudden disappearance from Test cricket and his lack of skill in the longest format for the last five years. Adding to these, Manjrekar reignited the controversy with another blunt comment.
Sanjay Manjrekar called Suresh Raina a better batsman than Virat Kohli.
Stating his opinion that ODI is the easiest format of cricket for top-order batsmen, he claimed that the history of the Indian team is marked by Test middle-order batsmen who were desperate to play at the top of the order in ODI cricket.
According to Manjrekar, the first advantage will be that in a 50-over game or while opening at the top order, there will not be many slips or gullies, which will put pressure on the batsman and the bowler will not target the wicket but will try to be defensive first.
He further added that for any good player, they take full advantage of the powerplay and then rotate the strike with ease to reach their centuries; However, one tough spot will be at number. 4, 5 and 6, where batsmen like Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have scored runs.
Manjrekar claimed that one-day cricket would be the last place where he would look for his modern batting as it offers a lot to top-order batsmen and nothing in balance.
Shubman Gill launched a scathing attack on Sanjay Manjrekar
Shubman Gill returned to captain the Indian team for the New Zealand series, and the question he faced was what was his opinion on the potential nature of ODI cricket and, as an opening batsman, did it seem too attractive to him compared to others in the middle order?
Shubman Gill said that India had never managed to win the ODI World Cup in the last three editions since 2011; That in itself proves how tough it is and how tough the format is.
“The last time we played an ODI against New Zealand, I made my debut and I always remember it,” he said. “I don’t think any format is easy; if you see, the Indian team has not won a single ODI World Cup since 2011. It is easy to say, but no format is easy and it requires a lot of effort and determination,” Shubman Gill said ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand.
India’s upcoming ODI schedule
India will play an ODI series against New Zealand which will be captained by Shubman Gill. They will have no further ODI matches after January 18, which is the final game of the series.
They will then play against England in the June–July window, the schedule of which has not yet been officially announced; However, this was revealed during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy last year. This will be Shubman Gill’s first series in England as captain and will mark the return of Indian legends Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma after the IPL.
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