ab de villiers
Cricket

“I would be a big supporter of that. I think Virat is perfect for No. 4”, says AB de Villiers

Former South African great AB de Villiers believes Virat Kohli might be the solution to India’s No.4 dilemma in the World Cup. Kohli’s former IPL partner, AB de Villiers, stated on his Youtube channel ‘AB de Villiers 360’, “We’re still talking about who will be the No. 4 batter for India. I’ve heard some rumours about Virat (Kohli) possibly taking up that position. I would be a big supporter of that. 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 go for it.”

Kohli has a terrific record at No. 4. There have been seven of his 46 ODI hundreds. In 39 innings, he has scored 1767 runs with a strike rate of 90.66 and an average of 55.21. However, he last batted there in an ODI against Australia in Mumbai over three years ago.

Since Yuvraj Singh retired from cricket, India has struggled to identify a fit No.4. With the 50-over World Cup less than two months away, there has been much speculation about who will bat at No 4. ABD also noted that Kohli might not quit the No.3 batting position just yet because he has had a lot of success for more than a decade, but he should be ready to adapt to a new role if the team needed it.

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul have both recovered from injuries and are part of the 17-man Asia Cup team. Iyer has played 20 matches at No. 4, averaging 47.35 and scored 805 runs with two centuries and five fifties. He is quite likely to restore his position. Earlier this week, skipper Rohit Sharma emphasised the need of batting order flexibility.

If Kohli bats at No. 4, Iyer has no place in the team until India decides to dismiss KL Rahul. Ishan Kishan may then take over as wicketkeeper and opener, with Shubman Gill filling in at No.3. The No.5 place will then be decided between Rahul and Iyer.

Although the middle order may remain stable with Iyer looking fine in India’s Asia Cup training camp in Alur, KL Rahul’s fitness remains a concern, and he may miss at least two games in the Asia Cup, which begins on August 30.

Yuzvendra Chahal, a leg spinner, did not make the India team for the Asia Cup, as selectors preferred wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav and spin all-rounder Axar Patel. “Chahal has been dropped, selectors making their intentions clear who they will be picking. It’s a bit of disappointing drop for me, Yuzi is always very handy and it’s great to have the leg-spinning option in your team. We know how skilful he is,” de Villiers explained.

For the time being, all indications point to Iyer reclaiming the No. 4 slot. He is said to be pain-free after undergoing intense back surgery rehabilitation, and he has passed his obligatory fitness tests.

 

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