“When we played India, Virat, batting at No. 3, posed the greatest threat to us throughout the majority of my international career. De Villiers remarked, “I’ve always thought of him as the team’s glue.”
Before the three-match Twenty20 International series against Afghanistan, it remained uncertain whether Virat Kohli will play in the game’s shortest format again. Still, the 35-year-old was supported by the national selectors. In the second Twenty20 International, he scored 29 runs off 16 deliveries, but in the series’ last match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, he was unable to add to his total. Nevertheless, the former cricket player from South Africa anticipates support from the team management for Virat ahead of the T20 World Cup.
In Twenty20 Internationals, the 39-year-old said that Virat ought to bat third for India. According to De Villiers, the former captain is the team’s unifying factor and the ideal link between the middle and top order. He went on to say that he expects Virat to stay at number three because he has been the biggest threat when batting there.
“I hold a distinct viewpoint. When we played against India, Virat batting at No. 3 posed the greatest threat to us for the majority of my international career. He’s always seemed to be the middle order team’s glue to me. No. 3 is top-order, not nearly middle-order. However, he is so skilled that he frequently combines with tailenders, even the middle-order. Playing against it is absolutely not conceivable,” De Villiers stated on his YouTube channel.
Suryakumar Yadav, who was batting third in Virat’s absence, has performed incredibly well to take the top spot as the world’s best T20I batsman. Yadav will fall in the rankings and move up to number four if Virat keeps his position at number three. That will force Virat to play against the new ball in the meantime, which the former cricket player finds a little worrying.
“I don’t think there’s a better chance to get a good delivery up front when facing the first few deliveries with a new ball.” That stance worries me,” De Villiers remarked.
