In the ever-evolving landscape of Indian cricket, few things spark as much debate as the career choices of its modern-day legend, Virat Kohli. Following India’s gritty four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first ODI at Vadodara, former India batter Mohammad Kaif launched a spirited defense of Kohli, taking a direct jibe at critics, most notably Sanjay Manjrekar who suggested the star batter has opted for an easier format by continuing in ODIs after his Test retirement.
Mohammad Kaif slams critiques over Virat Kohli’s format choice
The tension began when Manjrekar expressed disappointment over Kohli’s decision to continue playing 50-over cricket while stepping away from the gruelling Test arena. Manjrekar hinted that at 37, Kohli might be seeking the path of least resistance. However, speaking on his YouTube channel on January 12, Kaif dismantled this narrative, labeling such arguments as “childish and foolish.”
Kaif emphasized that Kohli’s pedigree in the longest format is beyond reproach, citing his 9,230 Test runs and 30 centuries as evidence of his mastery over difficult conditions. He argued that no format of international cricket can be labeled “easy,” noting the immense mental and physical toll of batting where a single delivery can end a player’s contribution.
“He (Virat Kohli) scored around 9,000 runs in Test cricket. It is not as if he has not proven himself in difficult conditions. He hit around 30 Test centuries to his name. Not many players will ever get close to that. So these are childish and foolish arguments saying that Virat Kohli chose an easy format. There is no easy cricket at all. Even a club match is not easy. Batting is the most demanding because your entire game can be destroyed on just one ball,” Kaif remarked.
Kaif further challenged the comparison with other modern greats like Joe Root, pointing out that while Root excels in Tests, he lacks Kohli’s staggering consistency and presence across white-ball formats. For Kaif, the suggestion that a player with over 28,000 international runs is looking for easy runs is a fundamental misunderstanding of the sport.
Is @imVkohli playing the easiest (ODI) format? @MohammadKaif has answer #viratkholi #ViratKohli𓃵 pic.twitter.com/5FosEjefwL
— Ravish Bisht (@ravishbofficial) January 13, 2026
Kohli’s resurgent masterclass silences the noise in ODIs
While the experts debated his future, Kohli provided a resounding answer on the field. During the 1st ODI in Vadodara on January 11, Kohli anchored India’s pursuit of 301 with a magnificent 93 off 91 balls. His innings was a masterclass in pacing a chase, featuring eight boundaries and a towering six, proving that his hunger for runs remains undiminished.
During this knock, Kohli etched his name deeper into the history books by becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, achieving the feat in just 624 innings—surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar‘s mark of 644. He also overtook Kumar Sangakkara to become the second-highest run-scorer in the history of the game.
With the second ODI scheduled for January 14 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot, India lead the three-match series 1-0. Kohli’s imperious form, as Kaif puts it, has become the backbone of the Indian lineup, particularly as the team navigates injury concerns like the loss of Washington Sundar. As the Men in Blue look to clinch the series, the focus remains firmly on Kohli, whose easy format continues to witness record-breaking performances that most cricketers can only dream of.
