Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma (ANI/AP Photos) NEW DELHI: Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has drawn a stark comparison between Virat Kohli’s fitness culture and the physical standards of Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, suggesting that both batsmen made life difficult for themselves by not maintaining elite levels of fitness in their 30s.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Speaking to Sportstar’s Insight Edge Podcast, Manjrekar said Kohli’s long-lasting success across formats is directly linked to his extreme focus on fitness, while players like Rohit and Surya may have suffered because they failed to meet those standards.“Take a leaf out of Virat Kohli’s book,” Manjrekar said. “Virat is not 30 and has had a tough time in T20 cricket but look at him this season. And what is the difference between the fitness of Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli?”
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Debut in India: Calls are getting louderManjrekar said Suryakumar still has the experience and skills to succeed but believes fitness has become the missing piece.“So the mental side of it is there. Just get your body to support your intention,” he explained.“I thought Rohit Sharma also dropped and fell because he didn’t take care of his fitness as much as he should have. He just made it a bit more difficult. I can see that with Surya as well.”
‘Go Extreme Fitness Like Virat’
Manjrekar has repeatedly pointed to Kohli’s discipline as the standard modern cricketers should follow.“Take your fitness level to the next level. Go extreme fitness like Virat,” he said. “When Virat achieves any success, the first thing he attributes it to is his physical prowess.According to Manjrekar, T20 cricket becomes more and more unforgiving once players cross 30 if fitness drops even slightly.He described Suryakumar’s recent decline as one of the most fascinating stories in T20 cricket after years of sustained brilliance.“He and Jos Buttler ruled the T20 batting,” Manjrekar said. “But then came this sudden dip in form … consistency of brilliance was followed by this sustained failure.
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The former India batsman believes age and declining fitness may affect Surya’s signature hand-eye coordination, especially for his unconventional shots behind the square.“One thing I am sure of, his fitness is not what it should be,” Manjrekar said. “If I was his personal trainer, I’d make him lighter on his feet, stronger.
