Sanjay Manjrekar believes there's no reason for undue concern regarding the future of the Indian Test team, despite the recent retirements of two of its stalwarts, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both Kohli and Rohit, who have served as crucial pillars of India's Test batting lineup, announced their decisions to step away from the longest format just before the upcoming tour of England.
It will take a bit of time, but let's not panic: Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Test retirement
Their retirements have indeed created two significant voids in the Indian batting order, leaving the opening slot and the crucial No. 4 position vacant. In a video shared on his Instagram account, Manjrekar acknowledged that there might be a sense of panic at this juncture. However, he drew attention to India's resilience in the past, recalling how the team successfully rebounded after the retirement of the celebrated fab four of Indian cricket: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly.
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The former cricketer emphasized that India went on to become the No. 1 ranked Test team globally following the departure of those legendary players. He expressed his confidence that as long as there is a consistent influx of talented cricketers, the Indian Test side will continue to be in a strong position moving forward.
"I know there'll be a few fans concerned. There was a sense of panic when the fab 4 quit all at the same time, but guess what? A couple of years later, India was the number one test team in the world. So, as long as I believe in this very strongly, as long as the sport is popular in India and there are enough young players, youth, desperate to play for India, and there are thousands in India, which means anybody who sort of comes through that kind of a grind has to be quality talent," Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar further said that Indian Test team will unearth new batting and bowling stars in the wake of these retirements, ensuring their continued status as one of the leading sides in world cricket. However, he cautioned that this developing team will require time to mature, particularly highlighting the long-standing challenge of batting in overseas conditions. Adding a positive perspective, the former cricketer also pointed out that this new-look Indian Test team will have the advantage of playing without the burden of excessive expectations, as they embark on the task of filling the shoes of their celebrated predecessors.
"So yes, it will take a bit of time, but let's not panic. Remember what happened after Fab 4, the Indian bowling quality improved. The same could happen here as well. You'll discover new stars and new bowlers, and India will continue to be one of the top teams in the world. Then you need some time. Because in overseas conditions, batting is very important and that is where our current fragility lies."
"But guess what? There's another way to look at this current Indian team, where Rohit and Virat Kohli were part of the Indian team. India lost 3-0 at home against New Zealand and lost poorly, badly in Australia as well. So guess what? With this team, we just have to play nothing to lose. All the best New India," Manjrekar concluded.