"I think he is better off at No. 3" - Cheteshwar Pujara dismisses suggestions that Virat Kohli should open in T20 World Cup
Cheteshwar Pujara thinks Virat Kohli shouldn't open the innings alongside skipper Rohit Sharma in the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia.
Kohli scored a fine hundred while opening the innings in the absence of Rohit against Afghanistan on Thursday, September 8, in Dubai. He finally ended his century drought, which lasted for almost three years.
The unbeaten 122-run knock has reignited debates about the talismanic batter opening for India in the marquee T20 competition Down Under. Giving his two cents on the topic while speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Pujara stated:
"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."
The milestone we'd all been waiting for and here it is!
71st International Century for @imVkohli 🔥💥
#AsiaCup2022 #INDvAFG
https://t.co/hnjA953zg9
Kohli has opened nine times in T20Is, scoring 400 runs, including one hundred and two fifties.
"He's a master at that position" - Robin Uthappa backs Virat Kohli to bat at No. 3
Virat Kohli now has six hundreds in T20 cricket.
And all these hundreds have come while opening the innings - five for RCB and one for Team India.
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#AsiaCupT20
#AsiaCup2022
#IndvAfg
Veteran batter Robin Uthappa believes Kohli opening for India against Afghanistan was mainly about getting his confidence back.
Saying that the Rohit and KL Rahul pairing at the top bodes well for India, with Kohli following at No. 3, Uthappa stated:
"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."
He added:
"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.
"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."
India will be a force to be reckoned with at the T20 World Cup if their batting unit clicks in unison.