NOTTINGHAM: Former skipper Sourav Ganguly has advised Virat Kohli to bat at crucial number four position to provide solidity to the India’s batting line-up in the three-match ODI series against England, starting here on Thursday.
Since the tour of Sri Lanka in July-August 2017, India have tried as many as six different batsmen — KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Ajinkya Rahane — at the number four position but Ganguly feels Kohli is the best bet for the crucial slot.
“If you look at this T20I series, I think they have formed the proper batting line-up. With Rahul at number three, and Virat Kohli batting at number four, I think the problem has been sorted out. And I firmly believe it is also the right thing to do in the ODI format as well,” Ganguly said after the UK launch of his book ‘A Century is Not Enough’ last night. “I think that’s what Kohli is going to do (in the upcoming series) as well,” the former skipper opined. Ganguly was of the opinion that England lack firepower in their bowling line-up, which will give the visitors an edge in the ODIs. India started off the English summer with a bang, winning the three-match T20I series 2-1.
“England are a good side. They are a very good batting unit but bowling is the weaker part of their game. The way India won (easily) in Bristol when chasing 200 (in a T20 game), they will fancy their chances against this English bowling line-up in the ODI series,” he said. (PTI)
