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. Many former cricketers and experts have been weighing in on the issue, trying to identify the problems that are plaguing the team. One such expert is former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar, who has made a rather interesting observation about the Indian batters.
According to Manjrekar, an Indian batter becomes an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) when he scores heavily in domestic cricket and gets selected for the Indian team. By this, he means that these batters become so accustomed to playing in foreign conditions that they struggle to adapt to the conditions in India. This is a rather unusual claim, but Manjrekar has some valid points to back it up.
Manjrekar pointed out that cricketers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant have played nine to 12 Tests away from home in the last two years. This means that they have spent a significant amount of time playing in foreign conditions, which can be very different from the conditions in India. As a result, they may have developed techniques and strategies that are more suited to foreign conditions, rather than Indian conditions.
This can be a major problem for the Indian team, as they often struggle to perform well in home conditions. The Indian team has a reputation for being dominant at home, but in recent years, they have struggled to live up to this reputation. The 0-2 defeat against South Africa is a prime example of this, as the Indian team was expected to win the series comfortably, but ended up losing it.
Manjrekar’s claim that Indian batters become NRIs when they score heavily in domestic cricket is not entirely unfounded. Many Indian batters have struggled to adapt to the conditions in India after playing extensively in foreign conditions. For example, KL Rahul has been in great form in foreign conditions, but has struggled to replicate this form in India. Similarly, Shubman Gill has been impressive in foreign conditions, but has found it tough to score runs in India.
There are several reasons why this might be the case. One reason is that the conditions in India are very different from those in foreign countries. The pitches in India are often flat and slow, which can make it difficult for batters to score quickly. In contrast, the pitches in foreign countries are often more conducive to fast scoring, which can make it easier for batters to get into rhythm.
Another reason is that the Indian team often plays a lot of cricket away from home. This can make it difficult for the batters to adjust to the conditions in India, as they may not have played much cricket in these conditions for a long time. As a result, they may struggle to adapt to the conditions, which can affect their performance.
So, what can be done to address this problem? One solution is for the Indian team to play more cricket in India. This will give the batters more opportunities to adjust to the conditions in India, which can help them to perform better. Additionally, the Indian team can also work on developing techniques and strategies that are more suited to Indian conditions.
The Indian cricket board can also play a role in addressing this problem. They can ensure that the domestic cricket structure is more conducive to producing batters who can perform well in Indian conditions. This can involve making changes to the pitches and conditions in domestic cricket, so that they are more similar to those in international cricket.
In conclusion, Sanjay Manjrekar’s claim that an Indian batter becomes an NRI when he scores heavily in domestic cricket is not entirely unfounded. The Indian team has struggled to perform well in home conditions, and this can be attributed to the fact that many of the batters have spent a lot of time playing in foreign conditions. To address this problem, the Indian team needs to play more cricket in India, and work on developing techniques and strategies that are more suited to Indian conditions. The Indian cricket board can also play a role in addressing this problem, by making changes to the domestic cricket structure.