When batter scores heavily in domestic, he becomes NRI: Manjrekar
The Indian cricket team has been facing a lot of criticism lately, especially after their 0-2 defeat in the Test series against South Africa. One of the main reasons for this defeat has been the poor performance of the Indian batters, who have struggled to cope with the conditions in South Africa. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a unique explanation for this, saying that when a batter scores heavily in domestic cricket, he becomes like a Non-Resident Indian (NRI) and struggles to adapt to Indian conditions.
Manjrekar’s comments have sparked a lot of debate, with many experts and fans weighing in on the issue. According to Manjrekar, the problem lies in the fact that many Indian batters have been playing a lot of cricket away from home, which has left them poorly prepared for the conditions in India. He cited the examples of cricketers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, who have played nine to 12 Tests away from home in the last two years.
“When you score heavily in domestic cricket, you become like an NRI,” Manjrekar said. “You are not used to the conditions in India, and you struggle to adapt when you come back. This is what is happening with many of our batters. They are playing so much cricket away from home that they are forgetting how to play in Indian conditions.”
Manjrekar’s comments are not entirely unfounded. The Indian cricket team has been playing a lot of cricket away from home in recent years, which has left them with limited opportunities to play in Indian conditions. This has been particularly true for the younger players, who have been part of the Indian team’s overseas tours but have not had much experience playing in India.
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Indian domestic cricket season is not very long, which means that players do not get to play as much cricket in Indian conditions as they would like. The Ranji Trophy, which is the premier domestic cricket competition in India, typically runs from November to March, which means that players have only a limited window to play in Indian conditions.
Moreover, the Indian team’s overseas schedule is often packed, which means that players have to spend a lot of time away from home. This can be physically and mentally demanding, and can leave players feeling drained and exhausted. When they finally return to India, they often struggle to adapt to the conditions, which can affect their performance on the field.
Manjrekar’s solution to this problem is to ensure that players get to play more cricket in Indian conditions. He believes that the Indian cricket board should organize more domestic cricket tournaments, which would give players more opportunities to play in Indian conditions. He also believes that the Indian team should play more Test matches at home, which would help players to get used to the conditions in India.
“I think we need to play more cricket in India,” Manjrekar said. “We need to organize more domestic tournaments, and we need to play more Test matches at home. This will help our players to get used to the conditions in India, and it will make them better prepared to play in Indian conditions.”
Manjrekar’s comments have sparked a lot of debate, with many experts and fans weighing in on the issue. While some have agreed with his assessment, others have disagreed, saying that the problem is more complex than just players being away from home for too long.
However, one thing is certain – the Indian cricket team needs to find a solution to this problem, and fast. The team’s poor performance in the Test series against South Africa has raised a lot of questions, and the team’s batters need to find a way to adapt to Indian conditions if they want to succeed.
In conclusion, Sanjay Manjrekar’s comments about Indian batters becoming like NRIs when they score heavily in domestic cricket are thought-provoking, to say the least. While his assessment may not be entirely accurate, it highlights a problem that the Indian cricket team needs to address. The team’s batters need to find a way to adapt to Indian conditions, and the Indian cricket board needs to ensure that players get to play more cricket in Indian conditions.