Manjrekar says KL Rahul must maintain form all series, citing Pant’s influence: ‘Can’t be a one-century wonder’

Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels KL Rahul needs to realize his potential and can’t just be a one-time century scorer. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring, Rahul is now the senior-most batsman in India’s Test team, and a lot of pressure is on him. As one of the more experienced players in a young batting lineup, Rahul is expected not only to score runs but also to provide stability and guide the younger players.

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant has once again proven to be a key player for India. His twin centuries in the Leeds Test showed just how valuable he is. Manjrekar praised Pant’s consistency in Test cricket, noting that Pant became only the second wicketkeeper ever to score two centuries in the same Test match, after Andy Flower.

Manjrekar said, “Pant clearly enjoys batting in Test cricket. Scoring two hundreds in one Test is mentally tough — you have to recover quickly and be ready to perform again. That’s what makes a great player.”

He also pointed out that KL Rahul needs to be more consistent, especially now during this transitional phase for Indian cricket. While Rahul has the talent, he can’t just rely on scoring one big century in a series. Comparing him to Pant’s recent performances, Manjrekar stressed that Rahul has to step up and take on more responsibility as a senior batsman.

“Pant is hungry for runs and enjoys Test cricket. I expect him to keep up his good form. But Rahul, as a senior player, has to do the same throughout the series. Indian cricket really needs him to be more consistent — he can’t be just a one-century wonder,” Manjrekar said.