IND vs AUS | Can’t see Virat Kohli batting at No.4 working for India, opines VVS Laxman

The Indian cricket team led by Virat Kohli have been high on experimentation in limited-overs cricket ever since the World Cup, be it giving fringe players a chance or chopping and changing the team combination in every other match. And in the first ODI versus Australia in Mumbai, their ‘experimentation’ peaked as skipper Kohli walked in to bat at No.4, one spot below KL Rahul.

The No.4 experiment did not go too well for both Kohl and India, as the Indian skipper was dismissed for just 16, walking in to bat only on the 28th over. Kohli’s tactic to demote himself down the order has unsurprisingly come under fire from several former cricketers and experts alike, and legendary Indian cricketer VVS Laxman reckons that the 31-year-old should move back to No.3, stating that he can’t see the plan of Kohli batting at No.4 being beneficial for the team.

"I don't see this plan working (Kohli at No 4). Even Sachin Tendulkar never liked batting at No 4 (reference to the 2007 World Cup). The last team you would like to experiment against is Australia," Laxman told Star Sports, reported news18.

"Now again it is too late to change the combination. But may be Virat can come at No 3 and Rahul at No 4. Shikhar got some runs and so will have his confidence high," he added.

Former Indian cricketers Harbhajan Singh and Sanjay Manjrekar, too, were critical of the Indian skipper’s decision to move himself down the order and opined that the move will hamper the dynamics of a team that looks more or less settled.

"He has won so many games for India at number three. There is no need to change that," said Harbhajan.

"It is not a great move as it pushes Shreyas Iyer down to five after you gave him time to settle at number four (in the earlier series). If India continue with this, it might be pushed to the same situation that it was in the past," Manjrekar stated.