Virat Kohli is described by Sanjay Manjrekar as someone who does pay attention to criticism even if he says otherwise. Manjrekar shared that Kohli reacts to outside comments and sometimes even changes behaviour after hearing them.
He recalled one moment at a toss where Kohli seemed unusually cold toward him. He felt it was linked to things he had said about Kohli earlier in commentary.
Manjrekar said Kohli is sensitive to negative talk, and it stays with him. He also said this can push Kohli to respond with better performances, like scoring big hundreds after criticism.
The view was mixed. Kohli was shown as emotional about criticism. But also very strong in driving his team’s attitude and performance.
Sanjay Manjrekar Praises Virat Kohli’s Test Captaincy, Says His Intensity Lifted the Whole Team
Sanjay Manjrekar praised Virat Kohli for his Test captaincy and said his biggest strength was keeping the team intense even when things were not going well.
He said Kohli never allowed the team to go flat. Even when conditions were tough and wickets were hard to get, he kept pushing the players to stay active and believe they could still win moments in the game.
Manjrekar also said the team reflected Kohli’s personality. Players had to match his aggression and energy. If someone looked too relaxed or low on intensity, they were often not backed for long.
He added that this style made the whole team more driven and sharp in the field. In his view, Kohli’s leadership created a strong mindset where every player had to stay switched on all the time.
Sanjay Manjrekar Says Virat Kohli Changed T20 Batting Approach After Strike-Rate Criticism
Sanjay Manjrekar said Kohli has changed his T20 batting style because of outside criticism about his strike rate.
He said Kohli started batting faster after people kept pointing out that he was too slow in T20 cricket. According to him, Kohli realised he had strong hitters coming after him, so he did not need to play safe and stay long at the crease.
Manjrekar said Kohli’s strike rate this season has gone above 160. It is much higher than his usual career T20 strike rate around 133. He also said this new approach is not because Kohli became a different player, but because he adjusted his mindset.
He explained that earlier Kohli focused more on staying longer at the crease and used to take singles and doubles after boundaries. Now he is trying to score quicker from the start.
He also pointed out Kohli has been performing well this season with 351 runs at a strong strike rate, showing the change is working for him and helping his team’s overall performance.
Virat Kohli Strong IPL 2026 Season for RCB
Kohli has had a strong IPL 2026 season. But the biggest change is how fast he is scoring now. He has 379 runs in 11 matches with an average around 42 and a strike rate just over 164. That strike rate is clearly higher than what he used to have in earlier seasons. It shows he is attacking more from the start instead of building slowly.
His key knocks tell the same story. He made 69* off 38 in the first game and set the tone early. Then 81 off 44 in a chase against GT where he dominated. He also added a steady 50 against MI when needed. So he has mixed aggression with control.
He also reached big milestones this season. He became the first player to cross 9000 IPL runs. He also went past 800 fours and entered the 300 sixes club. That shows how long he has been consistent.
There is a small dip though. He had back-to-back ducks and only 28 runs in the last three innings. But this has happened before in his career and he usually comes back strong after such patches. RCB are still in a good spot with 14 points and close to playoffs.
FAQs
Q. What did Sanjay Manjrekar say about Virat Kohli and criticism?
A. Sanjay Manjrekar said Kohli does pay attention to criticism. He sometimes reacts to it, even if he says he does not.
Q. How does criticism affect Kohli’s performance?
A. It can motivate him. Manjrekar said Kohli often responds with strong performances like big centuries after criticism.
Q. What did Manjrekar say about Kohli’s Test captaincy?
A. Sanjay Manjrekarsaid Kohli kept the team intense and active all the time. And his energy lifted the whole team’s mindset.
Q. What change did Kohli make in T20 batting?
A. Virat Kohli started batting faster and attacking more from the beginning after criticism about his strike rate.
Q. How has Kohli performed in IPL 2026?
A. Virat Kohli has scored around 379 runs in 11 matches with a strike rate above 160.
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