Stop Putting Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli In The Same Bracket: Sanjay Manjrekar
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar recently started a debate or fight between the fans for comparing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in Test cricket. Manjrekar suggests that fans and cricket experts should stop putting the two legends in the same box when it comes to the longest format of cricket, stating that Kohli is far better than Rohit when it comes to Test cricket.
Both the legendary players bid farewell to Test cricket ahead of India's upcoming Test series against England. If we take a look at Virat's test career, then he has played a total of 123 matches, scoring 9230 runs at an average of 46.85, smashing 30 centuries, whereas Rohit played 67 matches, scoring 4301 runs at an average of 40, and managed to score 12 centuries, of which one came in SENA countries.
In the England Test Team, India will be seen in a transition phase where Shubman Gill will take charge of the team and the vice captain will be Rishabh Pant. But the thing that Manjrekar didn't feel good about was comparing the two legends in red-ball cricket.
Manjrekar said,
"Right recently, Shubman Gill, India's new Test captain, made a statement about how he is now going to feel the pressure of the absence of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the England season, the Test series there. And it stirred up the bee in my bonnet, which has been there for a while. It's not so much about the statement but the fact that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli tend to get clubbed together."
He also added,
"We even have a term for them, RoKo. I can understand it in white-ball cricket; there's some comparison, and they're comparable players. Although there's an argument there as well, that's for a later time. When it comes to red-ball cricket, there's absolutely no comparison between the brackets. Just to give you some numbers so you don't have to take my word for it."
"Roko, stop!"—Sanjay Manjrekar
The 59-year-old also stated his facts right with a number of stats both had in Test cricket, and he also stated Virat is in a different league; people can't compare him with Rohit in red-ball cricket. He even urged people to stop putting Rohit and Virat in the same bracket.
"When it comes to SENA countries, the true test of a batter, Virat Kohli has got 12 hundreds. 30 Test 100s as well. Rohit Sharma in SENA countries, just the one against England at Oval 2021. He's played over 100 innings, just one hundred in SENA countries. And the average now is 40. And I dare say, had he continued playing or had he gone to England, that average would have dropped into the 30s."
Further he added,
"I can't be absolutely sure, but that would be my educated guess. So, when it comes to Test cricket, please, red-ball cricket, Virat Kohli is in a different league when you compare him with Rohit Sharma. This comparison in red-ball cricket between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli and putting them in the same bracket, I say, Roko, stop that."