Sanjay Manjrekar wants Kohli's 'old self' back ahead of T20 World Cup clash with USA

As India prepares for their ICC T20 World Cup match against the USA, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has urged star batsman Virat Kohli to adopt a more conservative approach on the challenging pitches in New York.

India is set to face the USA in their third Group A game at the Nassau County International Stadium on Wednesday, June 12. In their last match, India secured a narrow victory over Pakistan, winning by six runs in a low-scoring encounter. The USA also defeated Pakistan in their previous game, triumphing in a Super Over after a tie. Currently, India leads the group with two wins and four points, while the USA holds the second spot with the same win-loss record but a lower net run rate.

Virat Kohli, the tournament's leading run-scorer, has struggled to make an impact so far, scoring only one and four runs in his first two matches against Ireland and Pakistan, respectively. On both occasions, he was dismissed while playing aggressively.

Kohli entered the tournament following an outstanding Indian Premier League (IPL) season with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), where he amassed 741 runs in 15 innings at an average of 61.75 and a strike rate of 154.69, including a century and five fifties. His aggressive batting, particularly against spinners, marked his highest-ever strike rate in his IPL career.

Manjrekar pointed out that while Kohli has successfully revamped his game to address criticisms about his strike rate, the "old Virat" approach would be more suitable for the tough pitches in New York, where run-scoring has proven difficult and batters have had to play conservatively.

Manjrekar's advice comes as Kohli aims to regain his form and help India maintain their top position in the group, setting the stage for a crucial encounter against the USA.

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