Former India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his disappointment with the Indian team management's decision to reshuffle the batting order during the ongoing fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Manjrekar criticized captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir for demoting KL Rahul from the opening slot, a move that backfired as India struggled in their first innings.

Rohit, promoted to open, was dismissed cheaply for just 3 runs, while KL Rahul managed only 24 runs after being moved down the order. Manjrekar questioned the logic behind the decision, which he believes was an attempt to get Rohit back into form at the cost of team balance and performance.

In an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Manjrekar remarked, "It's a comment that I think I've made before as well. I mean, this is something that happens a lot in Indian cricket culture. A big-name player, just to get him on track, we often sacrifice a lesser or a smaller name, and it doesn't ever make cricketing logic, or it's never best for the team. KL Rahul has been India's most consistent batter. He stitched a record partnership in Australia with Yashasvi Jaiswal."

Manjrekar also drew comparisons to past instances where Indian cricket has prioritized star players over team interests, citing that similar situations occurred during the era of Sachin Tendulkar. He added, "Just because Rohit Sharma is out of form and is a senior player, you can't be making these kinds of changes. It reflects poorly on Indian cricket, and it’s time India moved away from this VIP culture."