Former India cricketer and commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar, has sparked a heated debate with his criticism of the decision to rest Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah from the upcoming Duleep Trophy.
Manjrekar argues that these players, who have already had sufficient rest, should have taken part in the domestic tournament to sharpen their skills before the Test series against Bangladesh.
In a recent tweet, Manjrekar highlighted the fact that despite India playing 249 international matches in the last five years, Rohit Sharma has only participated in 59% of those games, Virat Kohli in 61%, and Jasprit Bumrah in a mere 34%.
It is clear that Manjrekar believes that these players should have utilized the opportunity to gain valuable match practice and stay in top form for the upcoming challenges.
He asserted that these players, with their limited playing time, would have greatly benefited from taking part in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, scheduled to commence on September 5, 2024, in Anantapur and Bengaluru.
The Duleep Trophy serves as a crucial domestic tournament that offers valuable game time and preparation for players gearing up for international fixtures. However, the notable absence of key players such as Kohli, Rohit, and Bumrah has sparked concerns regarding their readiness for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh.
While the Duleep Trophy team boasts talented individuals like Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Shubman Gill, the lack of experienced players could potentially impact their performance in the upcoming Tests.
Renowned cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, in his column for Mid-day, echoed the sentiments expressed by Manjrekar. Gavaskar emphasized the importance of players like Kohli and Rohit, both in their 30s, participating in the Duleep Trophy to maintain sharpness and mental acuity.
Although Gavaskar acknowledged the necessity for Bumrah to rest due to his injury history, he underscored the missed opportunity for the star batters to fine-tune their form through domestic matches.
India is set to engage in two Test matches against Bangladesh, commencing on September 19, 2024, in Chennai, and continuing on September 27, 2024, in Kanpur.
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