‘They are hitting, we are slogging’: Sanjay Manjrekar hits out at Indian batters as England go 2-0 up in T20I series originally appeared on Cricket News.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised India‘s batters after they slipped 2-0 down in the T20I series against England.
- Manjrekar said the key difference is that England’s batters are hitting while India’s are slogging.
- India were bowled out for 76 in a record 125-run defeat at Trent Bridge.
Sanjay Manjrekar hits out at Indian batters as England go 2-0 up in T20I series
India’s alarming batting struggles in England continue to invite fierce scrutiny from experts and former players alike.
In the wake of their humiliating collapse in the third T20I, one of the game’s most forthright analysts has offered a damning verdict on their approach.
Former India batter-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has taken direct aim at the tourists’ mindset with the bat.
Never one to shy away from a candid opinion, he pinpointed a fundamental flaw that separates the two sides currently locked in the five-match series.
The criticism comes at a low point for the Men in Blue, who now trail the series 2-0. After being skittled for a paltry 76 to suffer their heaviest T20I defeat by runs, their batting approach has become the central talking point.
MORE: India’s biggest defeats by runs in T20I cricket: Top 10 list after Trent Bridge horror
Sanjay Manjrekar’s blunt hitting vs slogging verdict
Manjrekar summed up the gulf between the teams in a single, cutting observation. “Amongst other things, one big difference between India and England is that their batters are hitting; we are slogging,” he wrote on X, drawing a clear line between skill and recklessness.
Amongst other things one big difference between India and England is that their batters are hitting we are slogging. #IndvEng
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 8, 2026
The distinction he made is a subtle but crucial one. England’s batters combine aggression with clear intent and precise shot selection, hitting with purpose. India, by contrast, has swung wildly and hoped for the best, slogging without any discernible plan.
The evidence from Trent Bridge backed up his point emphatically. While England’s Phil Salt and Jos Buttler picked their moments to accelerate on a tricky surface, India’s batters perished one after another, throwing their wickets away with ill-judged, low-percentage strokes.
His view aligns with a growing consensus among cricketing figures. Both Moeen Ali and Herschelle Gibbs offered similar criticisms, suggesting India have collectively lost the art of building an innings and reading the demands of a given match situation properly.
MORE: ‘IPL is like easy mode’: Archer’s blunt verdict after England blows away India
A criticism that hits the mark
Manjrekar’s assessment is as astute as it is brutal. The ‘hitting versus slogging’ distinction perfectly captures India’s core problem, as their batters have too often mistaken mindless aggression for real intent, ignoring the fundamental need to properly assess conditions first.
There is a deeper lesson here about adapting to conditions. The flat, high-scoring nature of the IPL rewards constant aggression, but overseas pitches demand a more measured, thoughtful method that India’s batters are visibly struggling to summon under real pressure.
The solution, though, is easier said than done. India must rediscover the balance between fearlessness and game awareness that defined their golden era, and quickly, or a promising crop of young talent risks being defined by these damaging, chaotic capitulations.
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