Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar seemingly made indirect comments about Virat Kohli during the commentary of the first Test match between India and England at Headingley, Leeds on June 20. The remarks came during the 21st over of India's innings when the team were 77/0, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal at the crease.
LIVE: India vs England 1st Test Day 1Manjrekar's comments focused on the batting approach of the Indian openers, particularly their handling of deliveries outside the off-stump.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!While analysing the batting performance, Manjrekar initially praised the discipline shown by the Indian openers. He stressed how they were playing according to the merit of the ball despite the seemingly batting-friendly conditions.
"Many would see this session and would think the pitch is placid. The seam bowlers haven't looked potent, one important reason it is seeing that way is these two have batted well. Potentially wicket-taking, outside the off-stump full and they have been left alone. Jaiswal has done that, anything that has pitched right up into the stump is driven anything that has pitched wide is not disturbed," Manjrekar said.
The commentary took a different turn when Brydon Carse bowled a delivery on the sixth stump line to KL Rahul, who left it alone. Manjrekar then made the controversial reference that sparked social media discussions.
"There's another example of it. We know of a former batter that would have gone after it and got himself into trouble but not these two," Manjrekar remarked during the live broadcast.
The reference appeared to be directed at Kohli, who had recently announced his retirement from Test cricket. The context became clearer considering Kohli's performance during India's previous tour of Australia, where he was dismissed eight out of nine times while attempting to play deliveries pitched on the fifth and sixth stump line.
The match proceeded with India's opening partnership reaching 91 runs before KL Rahul was dismissed by Brydon Carse for 42 runs off 78 balls. Rahul's dismissal came when he attempted to play a wide delivery outside off-stump, which resulted in an edge carried to Joe Root in the slip cordon.
Following Rahul's wicket, debutant Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a four-ball duck in the next over bowled by Ben Stokes. Sudharsan was caught behind by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
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