Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri has started a new debate among cricket enthusiasts with his statement that skipper Virat Kohli can bat at number four rather than his regular position at number three in the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019, starting in May. The WC 2019 will be played in England and Wales.

When BCCI’s chief selectors MSK Prasad was asked about Kohli’s position in India’s batting line-ups, he agreed with Shastri. Prasad went on to say that it’s a “wonderful thought”.

“I think it is a wonderful thought that Virat Kohli can bat at No.4 and that is what Ravi Shastri has expressed. This has been happening for quite some time, but we will have to see. Because Virat has done extremely well at No.3. He is the No.1 batsman in the world. But if it is for the requirement of the team and Virat has to come at No.4 he will definitely do it. But again, we will have to see what the team requires and what the dynamics of the team is. That will decide his batting position,” Prasad said in an interview on Hotstar.

Earlier, in an interview to Cricbuzz, Shastri had said the team management was thinking of sending Kohli at No 4 at World Cup 2019.

“The good thing about this Indian top-three is we can separate them, if conditions and situations demand. Someone like Virat Kohli can go to number four, and we can put a good number three to bring more balance to the batting line-up. That’s flexibility for you, and for big tournaments like the World Cup, you have to be flexible to see what’s the best balance for the side. So we will decide that (accordingly in England),” Shastri said, before adding, “Maybe Rayudu, or someone else, could bat at number three, and Kohli comes in at number four. We wouldn’t want to disturb the opening combination. Separating the top-three could make the batting stronger.”

Indian skipper Virat Kohli has played for Men-in-Blue is seven different positions. However, the Delhi batsman became a mainstay at the No.3 spot in 2011. Kohli has scored 32 centuries while batting at number three. Kohli has also played 23 innings at No. 4, scoring 1744 runs at an average of 58.13 with the help of seven centuries.