'What after Virat Kohli an irrational fear': Sanjay Manjrekar lauds gusty show by India batters at Headingley

Sanjay Manjrekar notes 'what after Virat Kohli an irrational fear' after gusty show by India batters at Headingley (BCCI Photos)

There were concerns about how India would perform in the five-match series against England on foreign soil after the retirements of premier batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from Tests. Fans' fears were justified because the Shubman Gill-led team is without its three most experienced players, Virat, Rohit, and Ravichandran Ashwin. But all of the outside chatter has been silenced by the youthful line-up at least in terms of batting.

Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar gave a blunt assessment of "what after Virat Kohli" anxiety in light of the young Indian lineup's performance in the first Test, praising Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul for their massive contributions.

Watch: Yashasvi Jaiswal's fielding horrors leave Mohammed Siraj fuming, Gautam Gambhir's displeasure visible

Rahul and Pant smashed hundreds in the second innings, which powered India to 364/10 in the second innings and left England with a big 371-run target. The left-handed Pant in fact became the only second wicketkeeper in Test history to hit hundreds in both innings.

Manjrekar stated that since so many young people are eager to play for the country, cricket will always be the most popular sport in the nation. “Cricket is a by far the no 1 sport in India. There is tremendous incentive for young kids to take up cricket. Hence ‘What after Fab 4, or what after Virat’ is an irrational fear,” Manjrekar posted on X.

Cricket is a by far the no 1 sport in India. There is tremendous incentive for young kids to take up cricket. Hence ‘What after fab 4, or what after Virat’ is an irrational fear. #jaiswal #Gill #KLRahul #Pant

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— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) June 23, 2025

The match began with England winning the toss and inviting India to bat. However, the decision backfired as tons each by Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant powered India to 471/10.

Manjrekar on Day 1 had taken a veiled dig at Kohli, while giving the examples of Rahul and Jaiswal and their approach towards deliveries outside the off-stump line.