Team India Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara feels that Virat Kohli should bat at number 3 in the T20Is despite his magnificent century at the top of the order against Afghanistan. Kohli, who returned to form, in the Asia Cup, was asked to open the innings on Thursday in the absence of skipper Rohit Sharma. The 33-year-old didn’t miss out on the opportunity and slammed his maiden T20I ton to end his more than two and a half year-long century drought.
Several cricket fans demanded Kohli to continue to open the innings in the shortest format alongside Rohit. However, Pujara feels that Rohit and Rahul have done well as an opening pair and India should stick with Kohli at number 3.
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“I don’t think so. I think he is better off at No.3. He has proved that and KL and Rohit I think they make a good pair as an opening partner so I think Virat should continue batting at No. 3 and that he has scored a lot of runs at No.3 so there’s no question about that," Uthappa told ESPNCricinfo.
Veteran India batter Robin Uthappa also suggested the same and said that Kohli is a master at the number 3 and the knock against Afghanistan helped him get his flow back.
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“He does love opening but we have to understand the fact that he opened in this game was to bring back that flow more than anything. I think that flow is back today and he’s a master at No. 3. It’s not like he hasn’t been successful at No. 3 right."
“He’s a master at that position so I think this game was a lot more about confidence than about whether he will open the batting or should he open the batting. So I think with that we should just stop that whole conversation of him opening the batting or not. He should be at No. 3," Uthappa said.
The 36-year-old further said that India have a strong top-order going into the World Cup with Rahul, Rohit, Virat and Suryakumar all showing some form in recent matches.
“It will bode so well for us just to have Rahul back in form, Rohit striking the way he’s striking, Virat is batting the way he’s batting, Surya batting the way he’s batting. So it bodes for a really dangerous top order right and you want that for India going into a World Cup," he added.
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