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 in 2025. One of the main areas of concern has been the performance of the Indian batters, who have struggled to adapt to the conditions away from home. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has come up with a rather interesting observation, stating that an Indian batter becomes an NRI (Non-Resident Indian) when he scores heavily in domestic cricket and gets selected for India.
Manjrekar’s statement may seem a bit confusing at first, but it holds some truth. When a batter performs exceptionally well in domestic cricket, he is often selected for the national team. However, the problem arises when these batters are expected to perform in foreign conditions, which can be vastly different from what they are used to in India. The pitches, the climate, and the overall atmosphere can be quite challenging for Indian batters, who are often accustomed to playing on flat, batting-friendly wickets in domestic cricket.
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, leaving them poorly prepared for Indian conditions. This is a valid point, as these batters have indeed spent a significant amount of time playing in foreign conditions, which can make it difficult for them to adjust to the conditions in India.
The concept of becoming an NRI is not just limited to cricket, but it can be applied to various aspects of life. When someone spends a significant amount of time away from their home country, they can often lose touch with their roots and struggle to adapt to the conditions back home. This is exactly what seems to be happening with the Indian batters, who are finding it difficult to adjust to the conditions in India after spending a lot of time playing abroad.
The Indian team’s recent performance in the Test series against South Africa is a prime example of this. Despite having a strong batting lineup, the team struggled to put up big scores, and the batters found it difficult to adapt to the conditions. This is not just a matter of technique, but also of mental preparation. When batters are used to playing in foreign conditions, they can often become complacent and struggle to adjust to the conditions back home.
So, what can be done to address this issue? One possible solution is to ensure that the Indian batters get to play more matches in Indian conditions. This can be achieved by scheduling more Test matches and first-class games in India, which will help the batters to get accustomed to the conditions. Additionally, the Indian team management can also consider sending the batters to play in domestic cricket, where they can get to play on different types of wickets and conditions.
Another possible solution is to identify batters who have the potential to perform well in Indian conditions. This can be done by scouting for talent in domestic cricket and giving opportunities to batters who have a proven track record of performing well in Indian conditions. The Indian team management can also consider selecting batters who have experience of playing in Indian conditions, even if they may not have performed as well in foreign conditions.
In conclusion, Sanjay Manjrekar’s statement about Indian batters becoming NRIs when they score heavily in domestic cricket and get selected for India holds some truth. The Indian batters have indeed struggled to adapt to the conditions in India after spending a lot of time playing abroad. To address this issue, the Indian team management needs to ensure that the batters get to play more matches in Indian conditions, and identify batters who have the potential to perform well in Indian conditions.
The Indian cricket team has a lot of talented batters, but they need to be given the right opportunities to succeed. By scheduling more matches in India and giving opportunities to batters who have a proven track record of performing well in Indian conditions, the team can hope to improve their performance in the future. As the Indian team looks to bounce back from their recent defeat, they will need to address this issue and find a solution to the problem of their batters becoming NRIs.
About the Author
