IND vs ENG: 2 reasons why Virat Kohli and not Cheteshwar Pujara should come in at No.3
The Indian batting line-up in Tests has flattered to decive for the last two to three years, unable to perform well as a unit, especially in overseas conditions.
Below-par performances from the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have let the team down on several occasions in the recent past. The latest being in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
With an important five-Test series against England coming up in a month's time, India need to address their batting woes and find a solution.
One way could be to try out some new faces instead of the veterans. However, dropping experienced campaigners in a crucial series against England could backfire.
So, another way of addressing the issue is by altering the batting order. It can infuse freshness in the mindset of the players and help them come out of their bad patches.
In this article, we will try and analyze why India should consider Virat Kohli coming in at No.3 instead of Cheteshwar Pujara in the upcoming series against England.
#1 Virat Kohli's promotion in the batting order can help India maintain the tempo of the innings
Cheteshwar Pujara has made the No.3 spot his own in the Indian Test team over the last six to seven years by playing the role of a sheet anchor.
However, in recent years, Pujara's form has been inconsistent as he has struggled to score big runs even after getting set and consuming a lot of deliveries.
An even bigger problem has been his ultra defensive style of batting, especially at the start of his innings. As a result, India's run rate has slowed down appreciably whenever Pujara is at the crease.
This also adversely affected the Indian batsmen at the other end, who often tried to up the tempo of the innings by taking some unnecessary risks and getting out cheaply in the process.
If Virat Kohli indeed decides to come in place of Pujara at No.3, India's run rate is expected to increase as the skipper is a naturally aggressive player who loves to dominate the opposition bowlers.
It will also reduce the pressure on the batter at the other end, who can take his time to settle and worry less about the run rate.
#2 Virat Kohli coming in at No.3 could help him regain his form
Virat Kohli himself has been going through a bad patch for the last year-and-a-half. He has not scored a Test century since 2019, and changing his batting position might also help him in getting back to form.
Although Kohli has not batted much at the No.3 spot in Tests, he has scored tons of runs from the position in limited-overs cricket. Coming in to bat at one down will not be a new experience for the Indian skipper.
If Virat Kohli does come in at No.3, the chances of batting alongside Rohit Sharma will considerably increase. If the two are on song, it will be a nightmare for the opposition bowlers.