Dilip Vengsarkar backs Ravi Shastri’s view of Virat Kohli playing at No.4 in World Cup

As the World Cup is inching closer, the debate over who should bat at the No.4 position for Team India is becoming more intense. The team has failed to find a permanent solution to the problem even after running out of all their international games ahead of the mega event and experts are divided over picking the right man for the crucial position. Ambati Rayudu was initially chosen as the man for the two-down position but his failure with the bat in the recent most series might make the selectors think about a better alternative.

India saw a number of batters coming in at No.4 in the recent ODI series against Australia, including captain Virat Kohli, but yet there no permanent solution in sight. The final game in Delhi saw Rishabh Pant manning the position but he too fell cheaply. India’s head coach Ravi Shastri though still thinks that Kohli should be the man to bat at No.4 in the World Cup and now, another former India captain and selector Dilip Vengsarkar also has seconded Shastri’s thought.

Vengsarkar cites English conditions and calls for preserving Kohli

A colleague of Shastri in India’s World Cup-winning squad of 1983, Dilip Vengsarkar said in his defence of picking Kohli at No.4 that it will be wise for the Men in Blue to preserve Kohli in the bowling-friendly conditions in England and hence No.4 and not No.3 is the ideal position for him to bat in those conditions.

“I agree with Ravi. Because sometimes in English overcast conditions, if you lose early wickets, you may have to preserve Virat for no.4. because he is the best batsman in the world and in fantastic form. India depends heavily on him which is not a good thing because others have to perform,” ‘Colonel’ was quoted as saying by told India Today.

Shastri had said earlier that Kohli playing at No.4 gives more balance and flexibility to the batting line-up. Another former India Test captain and coach Anil Kumble though thought it differently. It felt it was key to keep India’s best batsman in the top three and preferred experienced wicket-keeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni to do the job at No.4.

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