5 best number three batsmen of all time

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The No 3 spot is considered by many as the most important position in the batting line-up

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The game of cricket might have undergone a sea of changes over the years with the timeless matches giving way to Test cricket before coloured clothing replaced the all-whites with the introduction of ODI cricket and finally, the T20 format.

The three different formats of the game demand their own specific skill set and there are very few players who have been able to shift seamlessly from one form of the game to another, adjusting their game to suit the needs of the format.

While each player has a specific role in the team, the No 3 spot is perhaps the most vital of them all. The batsman coming in at one-down is expected to steady the ship if an early wicket falls and also expected to fire from the word go if the team has got off to a good start.

Good technique is vital as he has to be equipped to counter both pace and spin depending on when he comes out to bat. Statistics prove that a team invariably does well when the No 3 batsman has performed - Virat Kohli and India's chase record in ODIs is a point in case.

Talking of Kohli, the Indian skipper is arguably the greatest batsman in the world at the moment alongside England's Joe Root. Their level of consistency has well and truly established their legendary status in the game.

They do have a long way to go though in their career at the highest level of the game and it would be premature to include either of the above in the list of the 5 best No 3 batsmen of all time.

A Top-10 list maybe, but not quite in the Top 5, especially when you consider the legends they are up against.

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