Virat Kohli’s Brother Defends Him After Bold Criticism from Sanjay Manjrekar

The world of cricket often sees heated opinions but when comments start to question legends like Virat Kohli people are bound to react strongly. Recently a major moment of controversy unfolded during the IPL 2025 when former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar left Virat Kohli out of his top 10 batters list. This was a revelation to fans as well as members of his own family particularly given that Kohli is presently chart-topping in the tournament's highest run-scoring. Retaliating for this criticism Virat's sibling Vikas Kohli lashed out on social media. Kohli made an attack on Manjrekar's own record as a player by highlighting his ODI strike rate which fell way short of the expectations with which he presently judges contemporary players. Vikas responded in a tongue-in-cheek manner that it's simple to comment on 200 plus strike rates when your own was merely 64 targeting Manjrekar's previous record specifically.

This response received widespread attention since it touched upon the increasingly heated debate surrounding strike rates and how T20 cricket is constantly evolving. Most of the fans feel that consistency and the ability to adjust are more essential than simply hitting big from the first ball. Virat has demonstrated this time and again. This season alone, he has already amassed six half-centuries in only ten innings. One such recent crucial performance of his was against Delhi Capitals where he ensured Royal Challengers Bengaluru maintained their home-away record. On a slow pitch where stroke play was difficult Kohli showed the value of building partnerships rather than going all-out from the beginning. He played a calm and calculated innings working closely with Krunal Pandya who also made his first fifty in the IPL after several years.

Kohli’s approach to the game has always been based on reading the pitch understanding the bowlers and pacing the innings smartly. He said after the game that he always asks the dugout during a pursuit to check if the team is going in the right direction. He does not want to crush all the balls but makes sure the stream of singles and doubles keeps going so that the innings remain alive. To him, the key to successful chases is partnerships and being professional under pressure is what divides good teams from great ones. His partnership with Krunal in the previous game itself speaks volumes about that mentality. They had good communication and stood by each other with Kohli keeping the innings together and Krunal playing his shots once he settled.

Kohli also complimented the team's lower order resilience that has assisted them in closing games effectively. Tim David demonstrated this in the same game by hitting 19 runs off five balls to wrap things up in no time. Kohli highly appreciated David and also named players such as Jitesh and Romario who bring strength to the tail of the innings. These types of finishers are able to turn matches around within a few minutes. Kohli showed that the equation of top-order solidity and explosive finishers is the key to success in the contemporary format.

On the bowling front Kohli did not miss to credit the efforts of his colleagues. He appreciated bowlers such as Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for their world-class consistency. Josh now owns the Purple Cap and has been the prime force behind RCB. Kohli was equally impressed with the spinners particularly Krunal and Suyash Sharma. Although Suyash did not take a lot of wickets his aggressive approach in the middle overs has proved to be a game-changer. Kohli referred to him as the dark horse of the team highlighting how each player's contribution is important even if it is not being showcased in the statistics.

This whole episode demonstrates how cricket is more than numbers. Though strike rates and flashy scores make headlines it is the intuitive grasp of the game that results in success. Players such as Virat Kohli might not always score explosive innings but their ability to handle pressure adapt to conditions and form partnerships is what makes them legends. When someone like Sanjay Manjrekar questions that it’s natural for fans and loved ones to step in and defend the legacy. Vikas Kohli’s post was more than just a clapback it was a reminder that greatness is not defined by one stat but by the impact a player makes over time.