Cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels India are missing the services of star batter Virat Kohli, amid the ongoing fourth Test against England in Ranchi. Kohli had initially pulled out of the squad for the first two Tests due to personal reasons, before also making himself unavailable for the remainder of the series. As England took control of the proceedings against India, Manjrekar felt that the hosts were missing the unmatched energy of Kohli on the outfield.
Manjrekar said on commentary that Kohli has the knack of getting the crowd behind him and the Indian team and takes the game to the opposition due to his aggressive approach.
"Virat Kohli is one of those guys. If the fielders are quiet, he will get the crowd to back the players, and bring some energy. When he's out there, he just gets that intensity going. India are missing Virat Kohli. There is no one quite like him. He carries that energy," Manrjekar said on-air.
Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, who was also on commentary duty, echoed Manjrekar's sentiments.
"(Virat Kohli) Has the uncanny knack of getting the crowd behind him," Karthik added.
Earlier this month, Kohli announced that he and his wife Anushka Sharma have been blessed with their second child. Kohli revealed that Anushkar gave birth to a baby boy, named Akaay, on February 15.
"With abundant happiness and our hearts full of love, we are pleased to inform everyone that on 15th February, we welcomed our baby boy Akaay & Vamika's little brother into this world. We seek your blessings and good wishes in this beautiful time in our lives. We request you to kindly respect our privacy at this time. Love & Gratitude. Virat & Anushka," Kohli shared on his social media handle.
Kohli is likely to return to action during the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kohli's RCB will take on defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the tournament opener on March 22.
As the general elections will be held this year, the schedule for the first 21 matches has been announced so far.
"As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with government and security agencies, following all necessary protocols and advisories related to the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in India. Once the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Board will review and address any issues pertaining to the schedule of the first two weeks. Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalize the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates," the BCCI said in a release.