Ravi Shastri reveals thoughts about contemplating Virat Kohli for No. 4 position during 2019 WC
Former India coach Ravi Shastri admitted that he contemplated deploying Virat Kohli at the No. 4 slot during the 2019 World Cup in England. Shastri openly acknowledged his concerns about India’s batting lineup being potentially over-reliant on the top order and susceptible to early wicket losses.
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Guided by Kohli’s captaincy, India achieved a semi-final berth in the 2019 World Cup. However, their campaign ended with an 18-run loss to New Zealand in the knockout stage at Manchester. While chasing 240, the team’s batting faced a setback as they were at 5/3 at the inception of the fourth over, with Rohit Sharma, Kohli, and KL Rahul departing after scoring just 1 run each.
Revisiting India’s performance in the 2019 World Cup while discussing the impending edition, Shastri offered insights into Kohli’s batting placement.
He shared his perspective on the matter during Star Sports’ Selection Day show, stating, “If Virat has to bat at four, he will bat at four in the interest of the side. You know, there were times I thought of it. In the two preceding World Cups, including my tenure as coach in 2019, I contemplated discussing with MSK [Prasad] the possibility of Kohli batting at number four to diversify our top-heavy lineup.”
Shastri elaborated, highlighting the significance of Kohli’s experience and ability to bolster the middle order. He emphasized, “This was due to the potential vulnerability arising from the loss of two or three early wickets, leading to a precarious situation.” This rationale was for the sake of adding experience… and when you scrutinize Virat Kohli’s performance history, he certainly possesses the capability to excel at the number four position.”
Despite deliberations, Kohli adhered to his traditional No. 3 position during the 2019 World Cup. He exhibited an impressive performance in the tournament, amassing 443 runs across nine innings with an average of 55.38 and a strike rate of 94.06 with India’s journey concluded once more at the semi-final stage, falling short of clinching the championship.
Virat Kohli’s statistics in ODIs while batting at the No. 4 position.
Virat Kohli has taken on the No. 4 batting position in 42 one-day matches, amassing a total of 1767 runs at an impressive average of 55.21, inclusive of seven centuries. His highest score at this position stands at an unbeaten 139, achieved against Sri Lanka in Ranchi during November 2014.
Looking at his broader ODI career, the 34-year-old cricketer has participated in 275 matches, accumulating a remarkable tally of 12898 runs at an average of 57.32. This incredible performance encompasses 46 centuries and 65 half-centuries.
