Former Pakistan cricketer suggests change in Virat Kohli's batting position
What's the story
Former Pakistan cricketer, Basit Ali, has slammed the Indian cricket team management for the way they have dealt with Virat Kohli's form in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. He proposed that Kohli should be demoted to No. 5 in the batting order for the final Test match at Sydney Cricket Ground. This comes after a string of low scores from Kohli, who has been troubled by deliveries outside off stump throughout this series.
Performance review
Kohli's performance in the ongoing series
Kohli's form in the ongoing Test series hasn't been the best. After a brilliant century in Perth, his scores have plummeted to 7, 11, 3, 36 and 5 in three Tests. This pattern is similar to his poor form earlier this year against New Zealand at home. Ali pointed out these struggles as a reason to recommend changes to India's batting order.
Batting reshuffle
Ali's suggestion for India's batting order
Ali proposed that in-form Nitish Kumar Reddy should be promoted to No. 4, while Kohli should bat at No. 5 for India. He stated, "Now is the time to bring Nitish up at No. 4 and Virat Kohli at No. 5 because he is not able to score at No. 4." This suggestion comes as a bold strategy considering Kohli's reputation and past performances in cricketing circles worldwide.
Management criticism
Ali's critique of team management
Ali slammed the Indian team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, for being scared of Kohli. "Perform nahi ho raha toh apna number toh neeche karo . Rohit upar neeche kar raha hai, Virat ka koi nahi soch raha, kyunki darte hain na sab (if you are not able to score then drop lower down the order; Rohit is doing that but nobody thinking about Virat)," he said.
Coaching impact
Ali's remarks on Dravid's absence
Ali also spoke about the impact of Rahul Dravid's absence as coach, saying his presence could have made things easier for Kohli. He ended by saying, "Mera khayal hai Dravid ki yaad aayegi (I think former coach Rahul Dravid will be missed)." These comments highlight how much coaching staff matters in the scheme of things and how it can affect players.