While Virat Kohli has been delivering consistently with the bat, his strike rate and batting position have been a major talking point for all the wrong reasons.
Many believe that the right-handed batsman should stop batting at number three for India in T20Is and open the innings like he does in the IPL. There is a view that Virat Kohli is not the kind of player who can attack right from the start and opening the innings will give him enough time to calm down before changing gears.
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Recently, former West Indies captain Brian Lara also made a similar suggestion, saying that India should find a way to make Suryakumar Yadav bat at number three in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly He also wants Virat Kohli to open the innings. And former Australia captains Tim Paine and Aaron Finch also shared their views on the matter.
Tim Paine and Aaron Finch on Virat Kohli’s batting position:
Speaking on the ‘Around the Wicket’ podcast, Paine said Virat Kohli should open the innings for India in the shortest format of the game. The former Australia Test captain also said that the India superstar has earned the right to bat in any position before saying that Kohli should face as many balls as possible.
“I certainly would [have Kohli open]. I think Virat Kohli has earned the right to bat wherever he wants, particularly when he is in this kind of form. Virat is an experienced player and I am sure they will have talks, but if he bats one, two or three he will worry too much.
“That said, if I were the national team or the coach of that team, I would want my best player, the best player in top form, I would want him facing as many balls as possible, so I will try to place him again.” at the top,” Paine said.
Aaron Finch, however, had a different opinion. The former Australia limited-overs captain said it would be better for India if Kohli continued to bat at number three. The T20 World Cup-winning captain said Kohli’s batting at number three gives stability to India. He also said that Yashasvi Jaiswal would be a better bet as an opener because he can give the team a quick start in the T20 World Cup.
“There was a lot of talk about it at the beginning of the tournament. Will he be on the World Cup team so he can put that aside and go out and do his job… like you said, hitting at 155 is the highest he can reach?” He’s hit throughout his career, so that’s a great point. He’s just a brilliant player. I love watching him play. But I would still keep it at 3″.
“I think their stability at three just creates an environment for everyone else to play their natural game. And you have Jaiswal, who can hit them out of the park. He can give them a flier. I’m just not sure if Virat and Rohit at the top would create that dynamic approach that is needed in the West Indies,” he added.