Former South African legend AB de Villiers pointed out that the star India batter Virat Kohli‘s skill in constructing innings makes him an excellent fit for India’s No. 4 spot in ODIs. Despite Kohli’s preference for his No. 3 position, De Villiers emphasized the importance of being a team player, especially with a World Cup on the horizon.
India’s ongoing struggle with the No. 4 position in ODIs has been a persistent issue. Even during the 2019 World Cup, the team experimented with various players in that role. Since the last World Cup, India has tried out 11 different players at No. 4 in ODIs, following their heart-wrenching defeat to New Zealand in the semi-finals.
“We’re still talking about who will be the No. 4 batter for India. I’ve heard some rumours about Virat possibly taking up that position. I would be a big supporter of that,” de Villiers said.
As we approach 2023, the matter continues to be a hot topic of discussion, particularly due to the injuries of KL Rahul (thigh) and Shreyas Iyer (back) in the run-up to the home quadrennial event beginning on October 5. Encouragingly for India, both batsmen have made a full recovery and are included in the squad for the Asia Cup, a preliminary event for the World Cup, commencing on August 30.
AB de Villiers shared his thoughts on Virat Kohli’s batting position in the upcoming Asia Cup and ODI World Cup debate
“We’re still talking about who will be the No. 4 batter for India. I’ve heard some rumours about Virat possibly taking up that position. I would be a big supporter of that,” De Villiers mentioned this on his YouTube channel called ‘AB de Villiers 360’. I think Virat is perfect for No. 4. He can put the innings together, play any kind of role in that middle order. I don’t know if he would like to do that.“
”We know he loves his No. 3 position; he’s scored all his runs there, but at the end of the day, if the team needs you to do something, play a certain role, you have got to put your hand up and got for it,” he added.
Even though Kohli’s performance at the fourth position – accumulating 1767 runs with an average of 55.21 and a strike rate of 90.66, encompassing seven centuries – instils considerable assurance, the return of a fully recuperated Iyer suggests he will probably reassume the position.
Iyer’s relevant statistics stand at 805 runs in 20 innings, averaging 47.35, and featuring two centuries. Notably, all three players – Kohli, Iyer, and Rahul – are present at India’s Asia Cup training camp in Alur.
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.