IPL 2021: "Not the right way to do it" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Virat Kohli's decision to quit RCB captaincy

Sanjay Manjrekar believes Virat Kohli announcing his decision to quit the captaincy of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) midway through IPL 2021 wasn't the "right way to do it."

The cricketer-turned commentator spoke on ESPNcricinfo about this. He compared Virat Kohli's surprise call with that of Sunil Gavaskar and MS Dhoni when they renounced the saddle in 1985 and 2014 respectively. He said every captain should quit captaincy only after completing the ongoing series irrespective of the result.

"When Sunil Gavaskar won the Mini World Cup in 1985-86, he had said on the last day of the tournament that 'My teammates have given me a brilliant gift on the last day of my captaincy', so it came as a surprise and the timing was great. He played the whole tournament and irrespective of the result, his decision was ready.

So, I believe that as a captain you should play the whole series, whether you win or lose, and then make the decision... Even MS Dhoni left the captaincy during Australia and Virat Kohli took over soon after. For captaincy, I don't think this is the right way to do it," said Sanjay Manjrekar.

Manjrekar further acknowledged that the curious timing of the decision left him a bit confused. He said generally cricketers who want to retire proclaim it during or before a series but doing so for the captaincy was unprecedented.

"See, Virat Kohli is such a cricketer who invests a lot of energy in every match. We've seen it for the past few years that he was under immense workload pressure, being a sure shot player and captain in all three formats and the IPL as well where this is his 9th year as captain. But I don't understand this timing. He said in advance of the T20 World Cup that he'll leave it after the tournament.

And then here as well, right after the tournament [he said] he'll leave the captaincy after it. Players say they'll retire after a particular year or series, but doing so for captaincy resignations... I have not been able to work out this timing."

Kohli's announcement came three days after he said he'll step down as India's T20I captain after the World Cup in November. Both decisions were made to lighten his workload and allow him to focus more on his batting.

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"Proves that Test cricket is Virat Kohli's first choice" - Sanjay Manjrekar

Speaking further, Sanjay Manjrekar remarked that Virat Kohli's decision to quit the T20 captaincy first proves how much the 32-year-old respects and admires the longest format.

"We all have often said he plays with total intensity and vigor in all formats. But Test cricket has gone a bit out of fashion and here a world cricket superstar like Virat Kohli's commitment has become very important for the format...

He's himself very modern, in his thinking, looks and the way he plays cricket, but... this proves it again that Test cricket is his first choice," concluded Sanjay Manjrekar.

Virat Kohli will begin his final few games as RCB captain today when his team takes on the Kolkata Knight Riders at one of the IPL venues, Dubai.