IND vs AUS | Selfless Virat Kohli needs to be applauded for batting at No.4, opines Gautam Gambhir

Virat Kohli, over the course of the last couple of years, has made it a habit of coming up with quirky decisions that do not quite resonate with the rest of the world, and in the first ODI in Mumbai, the Indian skipper pulled off a prank that upset many a cricket viewer. The 31-year-old demoted himself down the order to No.4 to accommodate both KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan, a move that didn't work out well for the team as the skipper was dismissed for just 16 runs.

Whilst Kohli has come under fire from many an expert for his tactical 'blunder', former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has instead come out and batted for him, saying that the Indian skipper needs to be 'applauded' for putting the team's interest ahead of everything else. Gambhir further noted that he's seen several batsmen, much in contrast to Kohli, instead bat for personal glory rather than the team's gain.

"I think captain Virat Kohli should be applauded for batting at number four in Mumbai against Australia to accommodate Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul," Gambhir wrote in his column for Times of India.

"I have come across a few cases where batsmen have been reluctant to leave their batting slots. This is largely done to safeguard their own interests rather than looking at the overall well-being of the team. These batsmen guard their position in the batting order so fiercely that at times they have even risked getting dropped," Gambhir added.

Gambhir, who was an able captain for both Kolkata Knight Riders and Team India on some occasions, opined that he was not a big fan of Kohli's captaincy, but lauded the 31-year-old's courage, commitment and his 'team-first' attitude.

"Besides, Kohli is also making a subtle statement as a leader. He is trying to build a legacy that puts the team first. I am not a big fan of Kohli's captaincy but then the guy is at least trying with good intent," Gambhir concluded.