In the ongoing T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli has struggled as an opener. This has led to calls for a change in his batting position. AB de Villiers, former captain of South Africa, is one such voice. Even though India dominated Group A, winning all their matches against Pakistan, Ireland and USA, Kohli's individual scores were a concern. He managed just 1 run against Ireland, 4 against Pakistan and a golden duck against USA. This poor run of form has sparked discussions about his ideal batting position. De Villiers believes Kohli should be back at number 3. This is the position where Kohli has thrived in T20 cricket throughout his career.
Virat Kohli to play at no.3?
"I have always said please bat Virat at No. 3. Especially in better wickets that they will play now, Virat is the go-to guy at No. 3. He can play the attacking game and also pull back and absorb the pressure if necessary. He is the best player in the world in the middle overs. I don't see any reasons (for opening)," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
Kohli's recent slump came as a surprise for the fans and cricket pundits alike as he clinched the Orange Cap in the just-concluded IPL 2024 for a whopping 741 runs. Naturally, he was expected to be a powerhouse for India in the World Cup. Now, as they head into the crucial Super 8 stage, the pressure is on Kohli to get back in form and be the vital player India needs him to be. Even though Kohli hasn't been scoring runs in the initial matches, there's still hope for him to find his form. With India's sights set on winning their second T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean, expectations are high that Kohli will deliver when it matters most.
Meanwhile, De Villiers offered another piece of advice for India's success. He suggested they adopt a more aggressive approach in their batting to overcome their recent struggles of winning ICC tournaments. India hasn't lifted an ICC trophy since their victory in the 2013 Champions Trophy.
"Just make sure you throw the first punch. In the past World Cups, I think they have been a bit conservative, sort of feeling their way into a game. They are such a quality team that I feel they can take a bit of a risk early in the game to get the momentum because there is no looking back once they get the momentum," the South African added.
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