Virat Kohli’s struggles in Test cricket continued in 2024, as he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings against New Zealand. Despite his poor form, Kohli’s decision to promote himself to No. 3 in the batting order due to Shubman Gill’s absence drew praise from former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar.
Manjrekar hailed Kohli’s willingness to sacrifice his usual No. 4 slot, claiming that it set him apart from legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. According to Manjrekar, Tendulkar and Ganguly were reluctant to move up the order in Tests, unlike Kohli.
“Hats off to Virat Kohli!” Manjrekar posted on social media. “Coming out to bat at no. 3 because the team needed it. Ganguly, Tendulkar were very keen to open in white ball cricket, but never wanted to go up the order in Tests. That’s a true champion right there for you!”
However, Manjrekar also criticized Kohli’s aggressive approach from the first ball, which he believes has contributed to his recent struggles.
“Have said this before will say it again,” Manjrekar tweeted. “Virat has compounded his problems by wanting to be on the front foot to every ball. No matter the length. Today’s dismissal ball could have been comfortably tackled off the back foot.”
Manjrekar’s comments sparked a debate about the batting positions of Tendulkar and Ganguly. While Tendulkar primarily batted at No. 4 in Tests, Ganguly had a significant number of innings at No. 3 earlier in his career.
Tendulkar scored the vast majority of his Test runs at No. 4, with only 15 runs coming from the top three positions. Ganguly, on the other hand, scored 752 of his 7,212 Test runs at No. 3, while only 11 runs came as an opener.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to move up the order in Tests is a personal one for each player. While some, like Kohli, are willing to sacrifice their preferred position for the benefit of the team, others may prefer to stay in their comfort zone.
