"It's not Virat's fault if others can't play at No. 4" - Aakash Chopra on why Virat Kohli should bat at No. 3

Aakash Chopra feels Virat Kohli shouldn't be made to bat at No. 4 just because other players cannot bat at that position.

India will likely prefer to have Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 respectively at the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup. However, Rohit Sharma and Co. might be forced to include Ishan Kishan in the top three if Rahul doesn't recover from his niggle, with Kohli probably moving a spot down in such a scenario.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that Kohli shouldn't be made to bat at No. 4 to give the likes of Kishan and Shubman Gill their preferred batting positions. He elaborated:

"Why do you want to change? No doubt the best place for Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan is to open. It should not be that you give Shubman and Ishan their best positions, but just because Virat Kohli can play down the order, you don't think what is the best position for him."

The former Indian opener added:

"I understand that when you make the team's batting order, it's not about justice, you think about what is right for the team. I am convinced that Virat Kohli's form is important for India. It's not Virat's fault if others can't play at No. 4."

Chopra pointed out that India are unlikely to win the World Cup if Rohit and Kohli don't fire with the bat. He added that while the former should open the batting, the latter should play at No. 3 for the duo to have the best opportunity to score runs.

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"He understands the pulse of one-day cricket" - Aakash Chopra on Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has an outstanding average of 60.20 at No. 3. [P/C: BCCI]

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Virat Kohli knows how to drive the game while batting at No. 3. He stated:

"If Virat Kohli comes to bat at No. 3, there is no guarantee that he will get to bat in the first 10-15 overs, but whenever he gets to bat, he understands the pulse of one-day cricket and the graph keeps on moving."

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that the modern batting great paces his innings perfectly and is exceptional in run chases. He observed:

"He reaches his century around the 35th to 40th over and accelerates even more after that. Then he takes the team to 330-340. He dissects the run chase with surgical precision. He is such a wonderful player. I won't change at all. He is playing very well where he is playing."

Chopra concluded by opining that Kohli has a good chance of scoring a few centuries in the World Cup considering his current form. He added that this could be Kohli's World Cup just like the last edition was Rohit Sharma's.