Sanjay Manjrekar criticises Resting Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma for Duleep Trophy

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Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has sparked a debate with his criticism of the decision to rest star players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah from the Duleep Trophy, a key domestic tournament that marks the beginning of India's red-ball season.

Manjrekar expressed his concern over the decision by sharing eye-opening statistics on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), pointing out the limited participation of these players in international matches over the past five years.

In his tweet, Manjrekar highlighted that India has played 249 international matches in the last five years, but Rohit Sharma featured in only 59% of those games, Virat Kohli in 61%, and Jasprit Bumrah in just 34%. "India has played 249 international matches in the last 5 years. Rohit has played only 59% of those. Virat 61% & Bumrah 34%. I see them as well-rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep Trophy," Manjrekar wrote on X.

The decision to rest these players was made by the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, which urged all India regulars to be available for the Duleep Trophy, aiming to provide match practice before the international season. The tournament, set to commence on September 5, 2024, in Bengaluru and Anantapur, is seen as a critical preparation ground ahead of a busy Test schedule.

The Indian team is slated to play two Test matches against Bangladesh in September, followed by a three-Test series against New Zealand, and the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia starting in November.

Despite the significance of the Duleep Trophy, Kohli, Sharma, and Bumrah were rested, a decision that Manjrekar finds baffling given their limited playing time in recent years. According to him, participating in the domestic tournament would have allowed them to sharpen their skills and build match fitness before the upcoming international assignments.

Manjrekar's comments have ignited a broader discussion on the role of domestic cricket in preparing India's top players for international duties. Some cricket analysts argue that the participation of key players like Kohli and Sharma in the Duleep Trophy could have been beneficial, especially considering their age and the need for continuous game practice.

Sunil Gavaskar, another former Indian cricketer, supported Manjrekar's viewpoint. Gavaskar suggested that Kohli and Sharma, both in their 30s, could benefit from playing in the Duleep Trophy to maintain their sharpness and mental freshness. He noted that "once a player hits the mid-thirties in any sport, regular competition helps maintain the high standards set."

While Gavaskar acknowledged the need for Bumrah to rest due to his recent injury history, he argued that the star batters could use the domestic matches to fine-tune their form. "The selectors have not picked the skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the Duleep Trophy, so they will most likely go into the Bangladesh Test series without much match practice," he wrote.

However, not everyone shares this opinion. Former BCCI secretary Jay Shah explained that the decision to rest these players was aimed at minimizing the risk of injuries ahead of the crucial Test series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia. He emphasized that players like Kohli and Sharma should not be forced to play in the Duleep Trophy if it jeopardizes their fitness for the upcoming international season.

Manjrekar's tweet has also been interpreted by some as a criticism of India's current head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who reportedly allowed senior players to decide whether they wanted to participate in the Duleep Trophy. Indian fans were divided over the issue, with some supporting the commentator's stance and others viewing it as a needless jab at the new coaching regime.

As India gears up for a challenging Test schedule, the debate over the importance of domestic tournaments like the Duleep Trophy in preparing the national team's top players continues. The upcoming series against Bangladesh, set to begin on September 19 in Chennai, will provide an early indication of whether resting the star players was the right call.