Eng vs IND first test

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar appeared to take a subtle swipe at Virat Kohli while on commentary duty during Day 1 of the first Test between England and India at Headingley, Leeds, on Friday, 20 June. As Manjrekar praised KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s disciplined approach in the morning session, viewers were quick to pick up on what seemed like a veiled reference to Kohli’s past struggles. England, having opted to bowl first, failed to maintain consistent lines and lengths in the opening exchanges. This allowed the Indian openers to settle in comfortably, leaving deliveries outside off-stump with composure and punishing the loose ones. Leeds Test Full Scorecard | Full Coverage As the partnership neared a century stand, Manjrekar lauded Rahul’s restraint against full deliveries outside off-stump, contrasting it—without naming names—with a “former batter” who would have chased them and gotten out. “KL hasn’t touched one ball full outside off. We know of a former batter who would have gone after that delivery and gotten himself into trouble,” Manjrekar said during commentary on JioHotstar. While Manjrekar didn’t mention Kohli by name, many fans were quick to connect the dots. Kohli, who announced his retirement from Test cricket earlier this year, had well-documented issues with that line during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was dismissed caught behind or in the slips seven times in ten innings in that five-Test series. After a century in the opener in Perth, Kohli’s form dipped drastically, with just 190 runs in the remaining matches. Scott Boland, in particular, exploited Kohli’s vulnerability outside off-stump, leaving the former captain visibly frustrated in what turned out to be his final Test assignment. Kohli later played a Ranji Trophy fixture before calling time on his red-ball career weeks ahead of the England tour. Ironically, moments after Manjrekar’s comment, Rahul fell to a similar temptation—caught in the slips playing an expansive cover drive at a wide delivery after a composed knock. India lost two wickets at the stroke of lunch, with debutant Sai Sudharsan also dismissed for a duck, edging down the leg side. Despite the hiccup, India continued to build a strong foundation in the second session. Yashasvi Jaiswal, in particular, looked fluent once again against England, bringing up a solid half-century in a growing partnership with Shubman Gill. The visitors went past 150 at over four runs an over, putting pressure back on the English bowlers. Published By: Akshay Ramesh Published On: Jun 20, 2025 Tune In