On Sunday, India defeated New Zealand by 7 runs in the fifth and final T20I to clean sweep the Kiwis 5-0 at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval.
India's Virat Kohli (C) and team mates react as the match goes into a super over during the third Twenty20 cricket match between New Zealand and India at Seddon Park in Hamilton on January 29, 2020. (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY / AFP)
Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels India skipper Virat Kohli has instilled strong self-belief in the Indian team, something similar to Pakistan under Imran Khan’s captaincy.
“India under Virat in NZ reminds me of Pakistan under Imran. Strong self belief as a team. Pakistan under Imran found different ways of winning matches, often from losing positions. That only happens when the self belief is strong,” tweeted Manjrekar on Monday.
India under Virat in NZ reminds me of Pakistan under Imran. Strong self belief as a team. Pakistan under Imran found different ways of winning matches, often from losing positions. That only happens when the self belief is strong.
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— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 3, 2020
Meanwhile, Majrekar also heaped praises on India’s new wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul, who recently started collecting balls behind the stumps for the national team.
Rahul, after making 45 in the final T20I of the five-match series against New Zealand on Sunday, became the highest run-scorer for India (224) in any bilateral T20I series. The Man of the Series overtook Virat Kohli’s record of 199 runs which the latter had made against Australia in a three-match series in 2016.
Apart from this, Rahul’s safe and lightning-fast hands behind the stumps impressed all.
“Find of the T20 series in NZ for me is the ‘batsman keeper’ K L Rahul. Absolutely brilliant!” said Manjrekar.
Find of the T20 series in NZ for me is the ‘batsman keeper’ K L Rahul. Absolutely brilliant!
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 3, 2020
On one hand, Sanju Samson failed to grab the opportunity given to him in the last two matches and disappointed with the scores of 8 and 2 runs, while on the other, Rishabh Pant had to warm the bench throughout the series.
“Samson & Pant… the next batting brigade of India obviously have the skill & the power game they just need to infuse a small dose of Virat’s batting ‘smarts’( mind) into their game,” added the 54-year-old.
Samson & Pant… the next batting brigade of India obviously have the skill & the power game they just need to infuse a small dose of Virat’s batting ‘smarts’( mind) into their game.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) February 3, 2020
On Sunday, India defeated New Zealand by 7 runs in the fifth and final T20I to clean sweep the Kiwis 5-0 at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval.
Post winning the toss and opting to bat first, India had managed to score 163 runs at the venue before restricting the hosts to 156.
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