AB de Villiers Suggests Virat Kohli as India’s No. 4 for World Cup
Former cricketer AB de Villiers endorses Virat Kohli as India’s No. 4 for the World Cup due to his adaptability and experience. Kohli’s impressive track record and potential shift spark discussions.
In a surprising turn of events, former South African cricketer AB de Villiers has recommended his former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Virat Kohli as India’s No. 4 batsman for the upcoming World Cup. De Villiers made this endorsement on his YouTube channel, ‘AB de Villiers 360’, emphasizing Kohli’s ability to construct innings and adapt to any role in the middle order.
While de Villiers did not provide specific reasoning behind his suggestion, he highlighted Kohli’s versatility and experience as key factors that would make him an ideal fit for the No. 4 position. De Villiers acknowledged that Kohli’s preference has always been the No. 3 spot, where he has achieved remarkable success, but he urged Kohli to prioritize the team’s needs and be open to adapting his role.
Kohli’s track record at No. 4 is indeed impressive, having scored seven of his 46 One Day International (ODI) centuries in that position. Over 39 innings, he has accumulated 1767 runs at an average of 55.21 and a strike rate of 90.66. However, it’s worth noting that Kohli last batted at No. 4 more than three years ago, during an ODI against Australia in Mumbai.
The discussion surrounding India’s No. 4 spot gained traction due to injuries to key players Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. However, both players have shown remarkable recovery and are set to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup. The tournament is expected to provide valuable insights into India’s strategy for their middle-order batting options.
Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma, upon the squad announcement for the Asia Cup, emphasized the importance of players being adaptable and flexible in their roles. He stressed that players should be willing to bat at any position as required by the team’s situation.
Despite de Villiers’ suggestion, current indications suggest that Shreyas Iyer will likely reclaim the No. 4 position. Iyer has successfully rehabilitated from a back surgery and has cleared mandatory fitness tests. In recent training sessions for the Asia Cup, Iyer spent substantial time batting alongside Kohli in match simulation scenarios.
However, there remains a minor setback as KL Rahul has picked up a minor injury, preventing him from resuming his wicketkeeping drills fully. As a result, Rahul might miss at least the initial two matches of the Asia Cup, which commences on August 30th.
As the cricketing world eagerly watches, the debate over India’s No. 4 position continues to unfold, with the World Cup looming large on the horizon.
Keep visiting Cricket Ganga for Cricket News and articles. Follow us on Google News, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Koo for regular updates.
