Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri
Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri. (Photo: Twitter)

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has commented on Virat Kohli’s batting position in the Royal Challengers Bangalore starting XI on Thursday.

The batting line-up of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), especially former leader Virat Kohli’s place, is one of the most talked-about topics before the start of the 15th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Virat Kohli IPL 2022
Photo Credit: (BCCI)

Some believe he should keep opening for RCB, while others feel Kohli should return to No. 3 in the batting order to enhance the batting order.

In IPL 2021, Kohli resumed his old role in the RCB lineup, to play the goal of playing alongside Rohit Sharma for India in the T20 World Cup later that year.

In 15 innings for RCB, he scored 339 runs at 28.9 with a strike rate of 119.5, including three half-centuries. Kohli, on the other hand, has almost always played at No. 3 for RCB in previous seasons.

Kohli should continue as an opener for RCB Says, Ravi Shastri:

Kohli should continue to open for RCB, according to Shastri, but the balance of the side must be taken into account.
Shastri added, “It depends on the team’s balance.” “I don’t know how powerful their middle order is, but there’s no harm in Virat opening.”

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Kohli’s diminishing returns in the middle overs (7-15), where he has scored at 6.67 runs per over in the IPL since 2019, with a boundary every 12.7 balls, or more than two overs, is a good idea if he openers in a T20 side. Kohli, on the other hand, averages 7.8 runs per over with a boundary every 5.2 balls against the new ball.

Virat Kohli IPL 2022
Virat Kohli Photo Credit: (Twitter/IPL)

Kohli will begin alongside skipper Faf du Plessis, giving RCB a much-needed quality opening duo. Anuj Rawat, a young Indian with no international experience, will bat at No. 3, followed by Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik. The RCB batting order will remain strong if Kohli bats one down.

Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL 2022 Squad: Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wanindu Hasaranga, Harshal Patel, Josh Hazlewood, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Suyash Prabhudesai, Luvnith Sisodia, Aneeshwar Gautam, Jason Behrendorff, Karn Sharma, David Willey, Siddarth Kaul, Chama Milind, Mahipal Lomror, Sherfane Rutherford, Finn Allen.

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