What is Virat Kohli’s ODI cricket opening record?
In all likelihood, India’s star batsman Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma will start the third One-Day International match against Australia at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday.
Ishan Kishan has been ruled out of the game after succumbing to the viral sickness that has also afflicted a number of other members of the team, according to a statement made by Rohit at the toss.
The Men in Blue must thus prepare a backup strategy before they begin to bat. According to the team sheet, Kohli has been moved up to the top of the order, while Shreyas Iyer has been kept at No. 3.
While Kohli has established himself as India’s illustrious No. 3 batsman in ODIs, he made his international debut as an opening batter. In his first-ever ODI series against Sri Lanka in 2008, he really batted first in all five games.
In his first international match, he made a total of 12 runs off of 22 deliveries. However, he gradually found his groove and eventually finished the series with a maiden fifty in the fourth ODI.
As an opening hitter in ODI cricket, he has amassed 166 runs overall at an average of 23.71 in seven games.
During the tour of Bangladesh in 2022, Virat Kohli made his most recent outing as the opening batter in an ODI.
His next ODI innings as an opening hitter occurred in 2014 after his first series. In the seven-wicket loss to New Zealand at Seddon Park, Virat Kohli batted at the top of the order.
The second game against Bangladesh in December 2022 marked his final and most recent ODI start as an opening batter. In the crucial match, Kohli was forced to open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan after Rohit Sharma suffered a thumb injury while fielding.
However, Kohli was bowled out by Ebadot Hossain for just five runs off of six deliveries. Despite an injured Rohit scoring a remarkable half-century at No. 8, India went on to lose by five runs.
Will the former captain be a part of the third ODI lineup as the opening batter? Tell us what you believe.
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