Virat Kohli should leave his number 4 spot. I know, he just hit a hundred. But, just like that hundred, he’d be doing it for his team. Kohli himself said after scoring his 7th century in Australia that the management delivered a message to him that the declaration is coming soon. So, he switched gears. Having scored the first fifty runs in 94 deliveries, he took just 49 balls to reach the milestone.
Virat Kohli at 5, for the team
Kohli was willing to miss hitting his 30th hundred for the betterment of the Indian cricket team. He must do it again; this time it’ll be a bigger sacrifice. As he’ll have to leave the spot where he’s scored nearly 7500 runs and played 94 Tests. Why? To ensure that the batting order for the India vs Australia 2nd Test becomes even stronger than what it was in Perth.
With Rohit Sharma returning to the team, KL Rahul would have to leave the second opener spot. One would expect him to replace Dhruv Jurel at number six, but given how good he was against the new ball, it might be ideal that bat at that position over Shubman Gill.
Why No. 5 is perfect for Shubman Gill
The 25-year-old wasn’t available in Perth, and Devdutt Padikkal came in his place. Despite his availability, Gill shouldn’t bat at three. In comparison to Rahul, Gill’s technique isn’t as trustworthy. He’s batted at number three in five different countries and averages just 32.70. We’ve seen him susceptible against coming deliveries in particular. Although he plays bounce well, the movement with the pink ball will trouble him.
Therefore, it’s best to play an in-form Rahul at number in the pink ball Test. Instead, Gill should be pushed down to number 4, the best batting position in cricket. The spot where Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Joe Root, and Kohli himself found success. For a shot maker like Gill, this would be the perfect position.
This would push Kohli to number five. He’s played at the position in 27 Test matches before, and being in form, he can find himself at home. Moving to number 5 could be much easier for Kohli than for Gill to stay at 3 or move to 6 and replace Jurel.
Virat Kohli’s Test record by position
| Position | Span | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3rd | 2012-2024 | 5 | 167 | 23.85 | 0 | 1 |
| 4th | 2013-2024 | 94 | 7479 | 51.93 | 26 | 21 |
| 5th | 2011-2024 | 27 | 1084 | 37.37 | 3 | 6 |
| 6th | 2011-2012 | 5 | 404 | 44.88 | 1 | 3 |
| 7th | 2011-2011 | 1 | 11 | 11.00 | 0 | 0 |
