Post-India's defeat in the Boxing Day Test against Australia, debates about the test careers of veteran batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have flared up yet again.
In the aftermath of their recent drubbings, some have called out both for dismal performances. However, it is former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar who has been outspoken about the distinction in terms of how one should compare their contributions to Test cricket.
Manjrekar declared that Virat Kohli has more elbow room because of his status as an all-time great Test bat in the modern era.
"I must say there is no comparison between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli as Test batters. Virat Kohli is right up there. He's a great Test batter and Rohit Sharma is a good Test batter. Rohit's white-ball batting was great. So Virat Kohli obviously deserves a longer rope. It's not so much about Virat Kohli. I want to know what the batting coach of India is doing. We can't solve the obvious problem of such a fine player," Manjrekar told Star Sports.
Kohli has featured in 122 Tests with 9,207 runs and 30 centuries, making him India's most successful Test captain. He has led India to historic wins, including overseas series wins in Australia. Rohit has played 67 Tests and scored 4,302 runs. His Test career is marked by some wonderful innings, but it does not match the white-ball legacy he has created, which is unparalleled.
Rohit Sharma has had a forgettable run as a Test batter and captain in recent months. So far, his performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been dismal - 31 runs in five innings at an average of 6.20. This is the worst so far for a visiting skipper in a Test series in Australia.
The Boxing Day Test added to Rohit's woes as he fell cheaply for 9 runs off 40 balls while chasing 340 on the final day. The Indian captain has scored only 164 runs in Test cricket since September, averaging slightly over 10.
Manjrekar did not hold back in assessing Rohit's position. "It is not really on the hands of Rohit Sharma. If you see how the protocol and the hierarchy of team selection goes, the chairman of the selectors, he has a right to decide. He can do what is best for Indian cricket, so it's not so much of Rohit Sharma himself who knows to decide what should be the future. The chairman of the selector has that right. That's with Rohit and he does look down in the doldrums. Virat Kohli is a different issue altogether," Manjrekar added.
Where compared, Virat Kohli had flashes of brilliance; however, his hundred in the series opener at Perth came during a time when he briefly silenced his critics after that lean patch during the home series against New Zealand. The problem is still consistency - 7, 11, 3, 36 and 5 from the last five innings.
Manjrekar felt it was a time to handle Kohli differently. "Enough has been said about Virat. He's a fine player going through a tough phase. We need to leave him alone and let him work through his issues. This isn't just about Kohli's form; it's also a question of how the team management and batting coach are addressing these problems," he added.
The performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have led to much debate about their futures in Test cricket. The fifth Test in Sydney will be crucial as India's chances of making the World Test Championship final hang by a thread.
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