IPL 2025: Sanjay Manjrekar explains why Virat Kohli shouldn't be reappointed as RCB captain

Sanjay Manjrekar feels that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) should look at Virat Kohli's performances with the bat in the last few seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL) instead of his stature before reappointing him as the captain.

According to a Times of India (TOI) report, Kohli is willing to return to the helm of RCB as fans are gearing up for the 18th season of the IPL. The former India captain won the Orange Cap last season, but also made the joint-slowest hundred off 67 balls in the history of the cash-rich league. Manjrekar said that Kohli's batting performances have not been good enough to be given a second shot at captaincy in the IPL.

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“Remove Virat Kohli and his stature from you mind and only look at his performances in the Incredible Premier League, his performances as a batter and performance as a captain. And think whether it’s the right decision to make him the captain again. Last season, he had a strike-rate of 150 and in the 120s in the previous seasons,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.

I don’t think he is that great a player as he was 7-8 years ago: Sanjay Manjrekar

Kohli led RCB from 2013 to 2021 and the Bengaluru-based franchise reached the playoffs on four occasions, including a dream run to the finals in 2016. After the Delhi batter relinquished captaincy, Faf du Plessis has led the side in the last three editions. The South African has been released by the franchise ahead of the mega-auction, while Kohli has been retained for a staggering INR 21 crore. While RCB need to find a new captain to carry them forward, Manjrekar feels that the Indian stalwart won't be the right choice as he is not the same T20 batter he used to be a few years ago.

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“So, as a T20 player, can Virat Kohli make an impact? Because he is Virat Kohli, 95 percent fans want him to be the captain. But if you look at his performances, then his contributions haven’t been impressive enough,” Manjrekar said.

“This is my problem because I don’t like being emotional. I don’t want to go away from the truth with hero worship like fans. In Test cricket, Virat Kohli is out of form, but India need him. But in T20s, I don’t think he is that great a player as he was 7-8 years ago,” the cricketer-turned-commentator added.