Former Coach Ravi Shastri Proposes Virat Kohli as the Answer to India’s Long-standing Number Four Woes

Addressing India’s age-old predicament regarding the stability of a settled batter at the pivotal number four spot, Ravi Shastri, the former coach, suggests a transformative strategy: deploying Virat Kohli in this critical role. As the search for a reliable performer for this position continues since 2017, Shastri’s proposal could usher in a new era for India’s batting lineup. This revelation gains even more significance as the home World Cup approaches, with captain Rohit Sharma acknowledging the magnitude of this issue.

Since 2017, India has embarked on a quest involving a dozen players to fill the number four position. However, none have been able to solidify their place, prompting skipper Rohit Sharma to categorize this challenge as a pressing “issue” ahead of the impending home World Cup in October-November.

Virat Kohli’s monumental tally of 12,898 runs, accompanied by an impressive 39 centuries, has predominantly been amassed while batting at the number three position in 212 out of his 275 innings.

In his 42 appearances at number four, Kohli has maintained an average of 55.21, slightly below his overall batting average of 57.32. During these innings, he has notched up an impressive tally of seven centuries.

Ravi Shastri, who served as the coach of the Indian team during Kohli’s captaincy, draws attention to these remarkable statistics, underscoring Kohli’s aptitude as a number four batsman. Reflecting on the 2019 World Cup, Shastri divulges that he contemplated reshuffling Kohli’s batting position to diversify the team’s batting order, countering the vulnerability faced when losing early wickets.

Shastri emphasizes that Kohli’s willingness to adapt is rooted in his commitment to the team’s success. He affirms that if the team’s best interests align with Kohli batting at number four, he would wholeheartedly embrace the role.

While Shreyas Iyer showcased promise at the number four position, culminating in both his one-day international centuries from this slot, his progress has been hindered by a recovery period following back surgery.