Sanjay Manjrekar Expects Big Performances from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in Crucial T20 World Cup Matches

June 16, 2024 0 863

Sanjay Manjrekar expects Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as experienced players, to deliver crucial performances in the upcoming T20 World Cup knockout matches.

After India’s qualification for the Super 8s in the T20 World Cup 2024, attention has turned to the experienced opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Despite a slow start in the group stages, with Kohli scoring only single-digit runs and Rohit managing a fifty against Ireland but little else, former India player Sanjay Manjrekar believes in their ability to deliver when it counts.

Manjrekar emphasized the importance of experience in such tournaments. He stated that players like Rohit and Kohli are expected to deliver in crucial matches like semi-finals or finals to secure the title, despite their current form issues.

“Ideally, if you have gone for people like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, then you have gone for experience. You want to take your experienced players in the World Cup to deliver when it matters,” Manjrekar told PTI in an exclusive interview.

“So, I don’t mind if certain players are out of form. Coming into the knockouts, if they play a defining innings in a semi-final or the final to win the title, that’s the kind of expectation you must have from your senior players,” he added.

The Indian team will be looking to their senior players to regain form and will be optimistic that the Caribbean conditions will be more favorable for batting compared to those in New York.

In the group stage of the tournament, India secured an unbeaten run, defeating Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States, with their final game against Canada being washed out. The team will kick off their Super 8 campaign against Afghanistan at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 20, 2024.

India last won the T20 World Cup in the inaugural edition in 2007, under the leadership of MS Dhoni. This tournament will also mark the end of Rahul Dravid’s tenure as head coach, with his departure scheduled after the tournament.