Ex-selector Banerjee backs Kohli as opener, Raja Venkat disagrees

Sambaran Banerjee and Raja Venkat

Prolilfic India batsman Virat Kohli's role as an opener has come under the scanner following a string of low scores at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup in USA and West Indies.

Kohli was pushed up to the opening role alongside captain Rohit Sharma on the back of his tremendous top-order form in the IPL, where he finished as the highest scorer with a mammoth 741 runs at an impressive average of 61.75.

Coming to this World Cup, Kohli skipped the warm-up game against Bangladesh and has only managed five runs in three matches thereafter (1 v Ireland, 4 v Pakistan, 0 v USA), with India's final group game against Canada abandoned due to rain. The question arises, should Kohli continue as an opener in the Super 8 stage or is the 35-year-old better off playing at his natural No. 3 position?

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Former national selector Sambaran Banerjee believes Kohli is the right choice as an opener with Rohit as they can take the attack to the opposition. Banerjee, 70, attributed Yashasvi Jaiswal's omission from the playing XI to the same reason. "This is why Jaiswal couldn't find a place," Banerjee said.

However, another former national selector Raja Venkat disagrees. "Virat may get runs as an opener. He's a great batsman, but not as an opener. He's more successful at No. 3," Venkat said. Kohli averages 53.96 at his natural No. 3 position across 83 T20Is, while as an opener, he averages 40.50 in 12 games. Venkat, 65, added: "Does India need another extra bowler in Shivam? Instead, Jaiswal can open the innings. He is a tried and tested opener, Shivam does not have a place."

Bajerjee though felt that India "should continue with Dube because he can be used as a bowler too."