Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The cricketing world is no stranger to the opinions expressed by the former Indian batter turned commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar. However, the latest chapter in his long history of criticism Virat Kohli struck a chord. After the opening match of India vs New Zealand ODI series in January 2026, a social media storm erupted, not only because of the action on the ground, but also because of a sharp rebuttal from Virat’s brother, Vikas Kohli.
The tension comes from Manjrekar’s recent comments questioning Virat’s decision to retire from Test cricket in 2025 while continuing to play the 50-over format. Manjrekar went as far as calling ODIs the easiest format for top-order batters, suggesting that Kohli has moved away from the challenges of red-ball play rather than correcting his technical flaws.
Vikas, who has often served as his brother’s shield against online vitriol, didn’t hold back this time. Taking to social media soon after the 1st ODI in Vadodara, Vikas shared a cryptic yet pointed message regarding Manjrekar’s criticism.
“Such a simple format isn’t it…someone gave their gyaan a few days ago…easier said than done“, Vikas wrote on social media. In another post that went viral a few days earlier, he added: “It seems like people don’t eat rice or bread without saying Virat Kohli’s name.» (It seems people can’t earn their bread and butter without mentioning Virat Kohli).
Even though Vikas refrained from naming Manjrekar directly, the timing was unmistakable. Manjrekar had recently doubled down on his stance, arguing that top-order batters in ODIs face no slip or gully and essentially queue up to bat in the top three because of how easy it is to score. Vikas’ reply was a reminder that performing under the weight of a billion expectations is never easy, whatever the format.
ALSO READ: Top 3 players with most Player of the Match awards in ODIs with Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli’s masterclass held in ODIs silences critics
As the war of words intensified off the field, Virat responded in the way he knows best: by dominating the 22 yards. In the first ODI against New Zealand, Kohli played a masterful knock of 93 off 91 balls, anchoring a tense 301-run chase. Although he narrowly missed out on his 85th international century, his performance was a tactical clinic in middle-order accumulation and strike rotation.
This round was not an isolated event but the continuation of a huge purple patch for the veteran. Kohli entered the New Zealand series on the back of a superb home run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and a dominant performance against South Africa. During his 93-race stay at the Vadodara compound, Virat achieved two monumental milestones:
- 28,000 international races: He became the fastest player to reach this milestone, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar by 20 rounds.
- Historical rise: He walked past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second highest scorer in the history of international cricket, behind Tendulkar.
Far from finding the format easy, Kohli’s recent form suggests a player who has evolved his game to maintain a strike rate above 100 while remaining the team’s most reliable anchor. As the series progresses, the King seems determined to prove that while the commentators may talk, class is permanent.
