When batter scores heavily in domestic, he becomes NRI: Manjrekar
The Indian cricket team has been facing a lot of challenges in recent times, and one of the major concerns is the performance of the batters in Test cricket. The team’s recent 0-2 defeat against South Africa in the 2025 Test series has raised several questions about the batting lineup. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a unique observation, stating that an Indian batter becomes an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) when he scores heavily in domestic cricket and gets selected for the national team.
According to Manjrekar, when a batter performs exceptionally well in domestic cricket, he gets selected for the Indian team and starts playing Test cricket abroad. However, this is where the problem starts. Manjrekar believes that these batters, who have been playing most of their cricket in India, struggle to adapt to the foreign conditions. As a result, they become like NRIs, who are not familiar with the conditions in their own country.
Manjrekar cited the example of several Indian batters, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant, who have played a significant number of Test matches away from home in the last two years. He stated that these players have played between nine to 12 Tests abroad, which has left them poorly prepared for the conditions in India. “When you play so much cricket abroad, you tend to forget how to play in Indian conditions,” Manjrekar said.
This observation by Manjrekar is quite interesting, and it highlights the challenges faced by Indian batters when they transition from domestic cricket to international cricket. The Indian domestic circuit is known for its spin-friendly pitches, which are vastly different from the conditions found in other parts of the world. When Indian batters play in foreign conditions, they have to adapt to faster pitches, different types of grass, and varied weather conditions.
Manjrekar’s comment also raises questions about the preparation of Indian batters for Test cricket. The Indian team has been struggling to find a consistent batting lineup, and the lack of experience in playing in Indian conditions has been a major factor. The team’s recent defeats in Test cricket have been largely due to the failure of the batting lineup, and Manjrekar’s observation highlights the need for the team to focus on preparing the batters for different conditions.
The concept of an NRI batter is quite fascinating, and it highlights the challenges faced by Indian batters when they play in foreign conditions. An NRI is typically someone who is born or raised in India but lives abroad. Similarly, an NRI batter is someone who is familiar with the conditions in India but struggles to adapt to foreign conditions. This concept is not limited to cricket, and it can be applied to other sports as well.
In recent times, the Indian cricket team has been focusing on preparing the players for foreign conditions. The team has been playing a lot of cricket abroad, and the players have been working hard to adapt to different conditions. However, Manjrekar’s observation highlights the need for the team to strike a balance between preparing for foreign conditions and playing in Indian conditions.
The Indian cricket team has a busy schedule ahead, with several Test series lined up in the coming months. The team will be playing against some of the top teams in the world, and the batters will have to be at the top of their game to succeed. Manjrekar’s observation is a timely reminder of the challenges faced by Indian batters, and it highlights the need for the team to focus on preparing the batters for different conditions.
In conclusion, Sanjay Manjrekar’s observation about Indian batters becoming NRIs when they score heavily in domestic cricket and get selected for the national team is quite interesting. The concept of an NRI batter highlights the challenges faced by Indian batters when they transition from domestic cricket to international cricket. The Indian cricket team needs to focus on preparing the batters for different conditions, and Manjrekar’s observation is a timely reminder of the need to strike a balance between preparing for foreign conditions and playing in Indian conditions.
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