Manjrekar’s ‘NRI Batters’ Claim: Is IPL Killing Test Cricket?

'Indian batters have become NRIs': Manjrekar drops shocking claim

Remember when Indian batsmen were the undisputed kings of their home soil? A fortress built on the dust bowls of Chepauk and the turning tracks of Kanpur seemed impenetrable. Fast forward to 2025, and that fortress has crumbled—with humiliating 3-0 and 2-0 home series losses to New Zealand and South Africa, respectively . Enter Sanjay Manjrekar with a metaphor so sharp it cuts to the bone: Indian batters, he claims, have become NRI batters.

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Manjrekar’s ‘NRI Batters’ Claim Explained

Manjrekar’s explosive statement isn’t just about form; it’s a critique of a systemic issue. He argues that once a young, talented batter excels in domestic cricket, they are immediately thrust into the global T20 circuit—playing in leagues from the Caribbean to the Middle East . This lifestyle, he says, turns them into Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in their own country. They spend so much time on flat, batsman-friendly overseas pitches that when they return home, the subtle art of playing spin on a turning track feels alien. “They are all class players with good records behind them but… slightly strangers at home when they come on those pitches,” he noted .

The Shocking Home Collapse: A Statistical Nightmare

The proof is in the painful pudding. India’s recent home record is a stark departure from its past dominance.

  • 2024: Swept 0-3 by New Zealand at home.
  • 2025: Crushed 0-2 by South Africa, losing the second Test by a staggering 408 runs .

This isn’t a blip; it’s a trend. In their last five home Tests, India has lost four. The batters, who should be their biggest strength on home soil, have been consistently outplayed by visiting spinners like Ajaz Patel and Simon Harmer . This vulnerability is the very crisis Manjrekar is trying to diagnose with his NRI batters analogy.

The T20 Tsunami: Is the IPL to Blame?

The rise of T20 cricket has revolutionized the game, but at what cost to the traditional formats? The financial allure of global leagues is immense, often dwarfing central contracts. This creates a conflict where a player’s primary focus can shift from national duty to franchise loyalty .

The batting techniques required for T20 success—sweep shots, reverse sweeps, and aggressive horizontal-bat shots—are fantastic for clearing boundaries but can be a liability against high-quality spin on a turning track. The patience, discipline, and soft hands needed to survive and build an innings in Test cricket are skills that atrophy without consistent practice. As one analysis points out, the focus on “aggressive stroke play” in short formats can lead to a one-dimensional player who struggles to adapt .

The Forgotten Foundation of Domestic Cricket

The Ranji Trophy, once the undisputed breeding ground for Indian Test stars, now finds itself squeezed into a calendar dominated by international tours and the IPL. The 2025-26 season, for instance, runs from October to February , a window that often conflicts with other global T20 events.

For a batter to truly master home conditions, they need consistent, high-stakes match practice on similar pitches. When their best players are absent from the domestic circuit for long stretches, the quality of competition drops, and the vital link between domestic performance and international readiness is severed. Manjrekar’s point is that a batter’s last real experience on a spicy Indian track might have been months or even a year ago, which is an eternity in the world of high-performance sport .

Is There a Solution for India’s NRI Batters?

Addressing this issue requires a multi-pronged approach from the BCCI and team management:

  1. Domestic Cricket Priority: Incentivize and, where necessary, mandate top national players to participate in a significant portion of the Ranji Trophy, especially before a home Test series.
  2. Specialized Training Camps: Establish pre-series camps that replicate match conditions with high-quality spinners on prepared turning tracks. [INTERNAL_LINK:india-spin-bowling-camps]
  3. Mindset Shift: Foster a culture within the team that places equal, if not greater, prestige on Test match success as compared to T20 glory.

Conclusion: Reclaiming the Home Pitch

Sanjay Manjrekar’s NRI batters claim is more than just a provocative soundbite; it’s a stark warning about the unintended consequences of cricket’s rapid evolution. The balance between the financial and entertainment benefits of T20 leagues and the preservation of Test cricket’s unique skills is delicate. For India to reclaim its status as a fortress at home, it must ensure its batters are not just global T20 stars, but also masters of their own backyard. The solution lies not in rejecting the new, but in fiercely protecting the old.

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