ICC World Cup 2019: Should Virat Kohli bat at No. 4 for India?

The debate over Virat Kohli at No. 4 started with Indian Head Coach Ravi Shastri's recent interview. He said that the Indian cricket team would like to protect Kohli and send him down the order for a tournament like the World Cup 2019.

The former all-rounder was quoted as saying: "The good thing about this Indian top order is we can separate them if the conditions and situation demand."

Indian batting order requires flexibility in a tournament as big as the World Cup. They can't be rigid with their batting lineup. But the question here is: is Kohli as a captain dominant over Kohli the batsman?

If yes then that is a good sign for the Indian team because leadership is all about making sacrifices. Like Sourav Ganguly sacrificed his position for Virender Sehwag, because of which the Indian team found the most destructive opener in Indian cricket history.

If they want to send Kohli at number 4, then the next problem that arises is to find a quality number 3 to take his position while he acts like a savior down below. KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu are technically sound players who are more than capable of stopping a top-order collapse.

But the decision depends on whether they have that match-winning ability which Kohli has. Both have done so in the IPL, but are yet to show it internationally.

Another option is demoting Rohit Sharma to number 3 as he has been acting as a fulcrum around which the Indian batting functions. But this would mean taking him out of his comfort zone. It can prove to be a big gamble to take out a person who is probably one of the best in his position just before the World Cup, at a time when the squad needs stability.

Greg Chappell forced Sachin Tendulkar to play at number 4 in the 2007 World Cup. His intention was to protect him from the initial overs, and to add solidity to the middle order. But the plan backfired spectacularly; Tendulkar felt uncomfortable in his new position and India went crashing out of the World Cup against the lowly Bangladesh.

Kohli playing at number 3 at the World Cup will be a bane for a lot of talented batsmen like Rayudu. But the flip-side of the coin is that playing him at number 4 can quite possibly be a hindrance to himself too.

The captain to be flexible when the conditions are the worst for the team, and choose his batting position based on the situation - as Shastri said. He will have to acclimatize himself when India needs him most, as he is a responsible member of the dressing room.