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Kohli’s Test retirement leaves India with a crucial No. 4 conundrum
Virat Kohli’s recent retirement from Test cricket has created a precarious void in the team's batting lineup—particularly at the crucial No. 4 position. Since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar from international cricket in 2013, Kohli seamlessly took over the responsibility of anchoring India’s middle order. Now, with his exit from the format, India face a challenging dilemma. There have been opinions that Shubman Gill could be the successor to Virat Kohli at No.4, but veteran Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara is not entirely sure.
"Shubman is someone who is more capable of playing the new balls. He has been opening the innings earlier, before he started batting at No. 3. He prefers to bat when the ball is slightly hard and new. Will he be able to manage with the old ball? That is a big question at this stage,” Pujara said on ESPNcricinfo.
"Since he has batted well with the new ball, I would still say that he should be batting in [the] top three, which is his ideal position, which suits him well.”
Pujara further advised that India need to take some time before selecting a batter for no.4.
"We will need a couple of series to figure out who is well suited to bat at No. 4, because it's an important position. You need your best batter to bat at No. 4. And at this time, I think it's still a spot where the team management will have to figure out who is the most suited player at No. 4," he said.
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