Explained: Why Virat Kohli batted 3rd vs New Zealand in Bengaluru Test

On Thursday, October 17, during the opening Test match against New Zealand at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, star Indian batsman Virat Kohli batted at number three for the first time in eight years. Shubman Gill’s unavailability due to a niggle led to the decision to move Kohli up the order.

Sarfaraz Khan took Gill’s spot in the playing XI. Gill was India’s usual No. 3. The team management decided to reorganize and put Kohli in the key role instead of putting Sarfaraz in Gill’s place. Similarly, as KL Rahul has recently found solidity in the middle order, the option of promoting him was not chosen.

Kohli has had a brief tenure at number three. He had only hit at the position six times prior to this game, scoring 97 runs at a pitiful average of 19.4. He last played at number three against the West Indies in 2016.

India’s Test total was their third-lowest.

As the batter with the greatest experience and perhaps the most suited to deal with the challenging conditions, Kohli felt like the obvious pick for the short-term change. Unfortunately for the hosts, the choice backfired when Will O’Rourke’s short-length delivery caught Kohli for a duck.

Also Read: IND vs NZ 2024: Virat Kohli becomes active cricketer with joint-most ducks

India, however, collapsed to their third-lowest total in Test history, 46 all out. KL Rahul, R Ashwinl, Ravindra Jadeja, Sarfaraz, and Kohli returned with ducks. The tourists responded by charging off to 82/1 at Tea with all guns blazing