Sanjay Manjrekar's commentary during Day 1 of the first Test between England and India at Headingley has stirred controversy, with many interpreting his remarks as a veiled dig at Virat Kohli. Manjrekar's comments came as he praised the disciplined batting approach of India's opening pair, KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

During the 21st over of India's innings, with the score at 77/0, Manjrekar lauded the openers for their restraint, particularly their judgement in leaving deliveries outside the off-stump. He noted that they were playing according to the merit of each ball, despite the seemingly batting-friendly conditions. Manjrekar highlighted how Jaiswal was driving anything pitched up to the stumps and leaving alone anything pitched wide.

The contentious moment arose when Brydon Carse bowled a delivery on the sixth stump line to KL Rahul, who opted to leave it. Manjrekar then commented, "There's another example of it. We know of a former batter that would have gone after it and got himself into trouble but not these two." While Manjrekar didn't explicitly name Kohli, the implication was clear to many listeners and viewers.

The remark quickly ignited discussions on social media, with many fans connecting Manjrekar's words to Kohli's well-documented struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump, particularly during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. In that series, Kohli was dismissed multiple times while chasing balls outside off, leading to his downfall.

Kohli's issues with this line of attack have been a recurring theme throughout his career, including his first tour of England in 2014. While he made adjustments to overcome it and had a successful series in 2018, the vulnerability resurfaced later in his career.

Manjrekar's observation about Rahul's restraint was immediately followed by Rahul's dismissal, as he edged a delivery from Brydon Carse to second slip while attempting an expansive cover drive. Debutant Sai Sudharsan also fell soon after, leaving India at 92-2 by lunch.

It's worth noting that Manjrekar has faced criticism in the past for his forthright comments and opinions. He has previously drawn ire for his remarks about other cricketers, including Ravindra Jadeja and Sachin Tendulkar. In some instances, he has even apologized for his statements.

The context of Manjrekar's comment also gains significance considering Kohli's recent retirement from Test cricket weeks before the England tour. This timing led some to speculate that Kohli's decision might have been influenced by his concerns about facing similar dismissals in English conditions.

While Manjrekar's intention remains ambiguous, his comment has undoubtedly added another layer of intrigue to the ongoing Test series. It remains to be seen if he will address the controversy or if it will impact his commentary in the subsequent matches.