NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli's brother, Vikas Kohli, once again took an indirect dig at former India batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar after Virat cracked a match-winning 93 off 91 balls in the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara on Sunday.
Vikas took to social media to post a message that was perceived as a swipe at Manjrekar, who had earlier questioned Virat's decision to retire from Test cricket and continue playing ODIs, suggesting that it is an easier format to survive in.
"Such a easy format isn't it … someone gave his gyaan few days back… easier said than done...," Vikas wrote on Threads.
Vikas had earlier also not minced his words while launching an attack on Manjrekar, saying that some people were struggling to earn their bread and butter without taking his brother's name.
"SEEMS LIKE LOGON KI DAAL ROTI NAHI CHALTI…. BINA VIRAT KOHLI KA NAAM LIYE HUE," he had said.
What triggered controversy
Manjrekar shared his views in a video posted on Instagram, where he reflected on Kohli's Test career and expressed surprise over the timing of his decision to retire from the format. He felt Kohli could have chosen to work through his lean patch instead of calling time on his Test journey.
Manjrekar pointed out that Kohli endured a prolonged difficult phase in Test cricket, especially over the last few years, and contrasted it with the way contemporaries such as Joe Root, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson continue to strengthen their red-ball legacies.
What seemed to disappoint Manjrekar the most, however, was Kohli's decision to continue in ODIs. He suggested that one-day cricket is the most comfortable format for Kohli, implying that it demands less adjustment compared to the challenges of Test cricket.
