Virat, Rohit ODI showing cannot hide Test frailties

After a 12-year drought, it's suddenly raining ICC titles on India.

- Sanjay Manjrekar

In the same breath, we can say it's also raining ICC tournaments generally, for we have one every year now. We will have an annual world champion of cricket.

That said, India were impressive in the Champions Trophy recently. It's not easy to live up to expectations; India were favourites and they went on to win the title as per the billing.

But there won't be a motorcade or fans thronging the streets when a team wins the CT. It's not a World Cup that comes once every four years.

As for 50 overs cricket, after another good look in the CT, I have come to this conclusion—50 overs facilitates mediocrity. It's the brand of sport you actually want to least advertise or promote. Batters out of form, starving for some international runs, come to ODIs to get them. For struggling batters, it is like an oasis in a desert.

Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were woefully out of form in Tests against New Zealand at home and then in Australia, but only a few days later they were back 'in form' at the international level.

To prove a point, Rohit Sharma even got an ODI hundred vs England at home. I can still get a big one if I really want to after that—he promptly went back to getting his entertaining cameos at the top of the order.