'If it was so easy...': Harbhajan Singh slams Sanjay Manjrekar for his remarks on Virat Kohli

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has shared his perspective regarding Sanjay Manjrekar's claim that Virat Kohli chose 'the easiest format to play' by sticking to ODIs while stepping away from Test cricket. Harbhajan deemed such opinions as unfair and disrespectful to the effort required to excel at the highest level, standing up for Kohli's reputation and consistency. At an event on Wednesday, Harbhajan remarked that scoring runs in any format is never an easy task.

"If it was so easy to score runs in any format, then everyone would have made it. Let’s just enjoy what people are doing. They are playing well, winning games, scoring runs, and taking wickets. That's all that matters. It doesn't matter who plays which format. Virat, whether he plays in one format or all formats, has been a fantastic player and a big time match winner for India," Harbhajan said.

He highlighted Kohli's influence on Indian cricket and his role as an inspiration for younger athletes.

"They inspire the next generation. Manjrekar has his own way of thinking. The way I see it is that Virat and these players have played a major role to take this game forward. Virat is an unbelievable player. Even today, if he plays Test cricket, he will be our main player,” he added.

Manjrekar's comments came in light of Kohli's remarkable performance in the ODI format. The former Indian batsman, known for his candid opinions, stated that top-order batsmen currently find ODI cricket significantly easier. Manjrekar illustrated his point by comparing batting roles across different formats in an Instagram video.

"A lot of people have asked me why I keep saying ODI cricket is easy for top-order batters," citing the fact that a number of Indian batters were happy playing in the middle order in Tests but enjoyed opening in ODIs," he said.

He further explained that top-order batsmen have a simpler time in ODIs due to fielding restrictions being less stringent and bowlers focusing more on controlling runs rather than taking wickets. Following Kohli's elegant 93 in the first ODI against New Zealand on Sunday, Manjrekar's remarks ignited considerable debate and backlash. Vikas Kohli, Kohli's brother, also responded strongly to defend the former Indian captain.

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