Reports: Virat Kohli considered new batting position in 2019 World Cup semi-final vs New Zealand

Virat Kohli considered new batting position: There are reports of the Indian captain wanting to change his batting position at Old Trafford.

During the first semi-final of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between India and New Zealand at Old Trafford, Indian batsmen once again succumbed in front of the New Zealand’s bowlers in overcast conditions.

Chasing a 240-run target, India were reduced to 5/3 in the fourth over. It was the third time in a row that India were reeling against New Zealand’s new-ball bowlers. In the last two ODIs against New Zealand at Wellington and Hamilton earlier this year, India were reduced to 18/4 and 40/6 respectively.

This team you’ve led has played the kind of cricket to make all of us proud, @imVkohli. It was a fantastic journey that fell a few yards short, but I’m sure you boys will pick yourselves up soon. Very proud of Team India.

— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) July 11, 2019

Virat Kohli considered new batting position

If reports in The Times of India are to be believed, India captain Virat Kohli had considered changing his batting position before going in to bat against New Zealand. Citing the potential threat caused by the Kiwi bowlers on such conditions, it is said that there was an opinion of India sending any other batsman ahead of Kohli to see off the new ball.

“[Rishabh] Pant or [Hardik] Pandya could’ve walked in and just blocked the first few overs. Maybe the first 10 [overs] could’ve been kept as the target. Just block, see off those overs. Things would’ve been different,” a source in the vicinity of BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) was quoted as saying.

The source also talked about things probably being different if the decision was taken and someone else was sent in to bat ahead of Kohli. “Virat [Kohli] walked out [at No. 3]. You never know how things would have panned out, had he stayed back,” he added.

In an interview with Cricbuzz before the World Cup, even India coach Ravi Shastri had opined on demoting Kohli depending on the conditions in the premier tournament.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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