‘He didn’t know the camera was on him’: Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli’s reaction after Rishabh Pant’s dismissal – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar shared why Virat Kohli appeared frustrated with Rishabh Pant’s dismissal in the T20 World Cup encounter against Bangladesh on Saturday.

Pant, known for his aggressive batting style, opted for a reverse sweep against Rishad Hossain, resulting in his catch at short third man. This moment of play drew a reaction from Kohi, reflecting a sentiment likely shared by many fans and observers of the game.


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” Virat Kohli ka reaction agar aap logo ne dekha hoga jab Rishabh Pant out huye (If you saw Virat Kohli’s reaction when Rishabh Pant got out), he didn’t know the camera was on him. Immediately, he covered his face with a towel, similar to how fans would react seeing Pant’s dismissal,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports.

Manjrekar pointed out that Pant seemed to be in control of his innings until the moment of his dismissal. The decision to play a high-risk shot, especially when Pant possesses a wide array of conventional shots, was the crux of the frustration.

“The man who has so many good shots in the front of the wicket in his repertoire should try and avoid such a shot. Telling a player like Pant to show some patience would not be ideal, but maybe Kohli might try to tell him,” he added.


According to Manjrekar, while advising patience to a naturally aggressive player like Pant might not be the most practical approach, there could be an expectation for him to exercise better judgment in shot selection, particularly in crucial phases of the game.

Despite Pant’s dismissal and Kohli’s subsequent frustration, India moved closer to a T20 World Cup semifinal berth with a commanding 50-run win over Bangladesh in a Super Eight match. All-rounder Hardik Pandya hit a 27-ball fifty, helping India post their highest score of the low-scoring tournament so far with 196 for 5 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Bangladesh, struggling from the start, managed only 146 for 8 in response, suffering their second Group 1 defeat. Having maintained an elusive unbeaten run, India prepare for a high-octane clash against Australia on Monday.