NEW DELHI: Former India spinner Anil Kumble expressed his doubts over the Indian team’s decision to let Virat Kohli bat at number three in the first Test match against New Zealand. Kumble believes Kohli performs best when he bats at number four.
In the first innings, in the ninth over, Virat was dismissed for a duck by pacer William O’Rourke after facing just nine balls. The dismissal came shortly after New Zealand had already claimed the wicket of captain Rohit Sharma.
Virat, who was trying to defend on tiptoes, saw the ball bounce off his top glove and fly towards Phillips at leg gully, who took a brilliant catch.

In his comments to JioCinema, Kumble criticized the decision to let Kohli bat at number three. He pointed out that the team needed a player like Cheteshwar Pujara to fill the position and his absence was felt during the game.
“Virat Kohli should have batted at number 4, he is your number one batsman at that position. For the number three position (you need) someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who has played so well there for so many years. (After) 100 Test matches, because if he had been there today then I don’t think he would have tried to score,” Kumble said.
“He (Pujara) would have let the ball come in and you miss someone with that approach today. And India is certainly in a difficult position here,” he added.
At number four, Kohli has amassed 7,355 runs in 91 Tests and 148 innings, at an average of 52.53, with 25 centuries and 21 fifties. His highest score at the position is an unbeaten 254. In contrast, he struggled at number three, managing just 97 runs in seven innings with an average of 16.16 and a top score of 41.
This year in four Tests, Virat has scored 157 runs in seven innings, an average of 26.16, no fifties and a best of 47.
In the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 ​​​​in seven matches, Virat has scored 468 runs in 11 innings, an average of 46.80, with a century, two fifties and a high of 121.
The 2020s were not the most successful period for Kohli as a Test player. In 32 Tests this decade, he scored 1,745 runs in 55 innings at an average of 32.92, with just two centuries and eight fifties, with a high of 186.
India’s decision to bat first after winning the toss proved to be a mistake as overcast conditions favored the pace bowlers. The Indian batting line-up collapsed and managed a meager 46 runs. Rishabh Pant with 20 runs and Yashasvi Jaiswal with 13 were the only batsmen to reach double figures.
The New Zealand bowlers, particularly Matt Henry and William O’Rourke, made excellent use of the conditions. Henry claimed five wickets for just 15 runs while O’Rourke took four wickets for 22 runs, unseating the Indians’ batting order.