The cricketing world is no stranger to the vocal opinions of former Indian batter turned commentator, Sanjay Manjrekar. However, the latest chapter in his long-standing history of critiquing Virat Kohli has hit a personal nerve. Following the opening match of the India vs New Zealand ODI series in January 2026, a social media storm erupted—not just because of the action on the field, but due to a sharp rebuttal from Virat’s brother, Vikas Kohli.
The tension stems 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 labeling ODIs the easiest format for top-order batters, suggesting that Kohli walked away from the challenges of the red-ball game rather than fixing his technical flaws.
Vikas, who has often acted as a shield for his brother against online vitriol, didn’t hold back this time. Taking to social media shortly after the 1st ODI in Vadodara, Vikas shared a cryptic yet pointed message to Manjrekar’s critique.
“Such an easy format isn’t it… someone gave his gyaan few days back… easier said than done,” Vikas wrote on social media. In a separate post that went viral few days earlier, he added, “Seems like logon ki daal roti nahi chalti bina Virat Kohli ka naam liye hue” (It seems like people can’t earn their bread and butter without mentioning Virat Kohli).
While 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 slips or gully and essentially queue up to bat in the top three because of how easy it is to score. Vikas’ retort served as a reminder that performing under the weight of a billion expectations is never easy, regardless of the format.
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Virat Kohli’s masterclass run in ODIs silences critics
While 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. Though he narrowly missed out on his 85th international century, his performance was a tactical clinic in middle-overs accumulation and strike rotation.
This innings wasn’t an isolated event but a continuation of a massive purple patch for the veteran. Kohli entered the New Zealand series on the back of a stellar domestic run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and a dominant showing against South Africa. During his 93-run stay at the crease in Vadodara, Virat achieved two monumental milestones:
- 28,000 international runs: He became the fastest player to reach this landmark, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar by 20 innings.
- Historical climb: He moved past Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of international cricket, now trailing only 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 moves forward, the King seems intent on proving that while commentators may talk, class is permanent.
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