Who can be Kohli’s successor at 3 in ODI’s? Wasim Jaffer says southpaw can do it - The Indian Express

Since becoming the number three in the Indian ODI batting line-up, Virat Kohli has had no looking back. He has been one of the greatest players of all time, not just in the format but in that position too. He has been a master of chases for India over the years, but the 37-year-old said the 2027 World Cup will be his last, leaving a big void in that position. Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer said Tilak Varma might be the right guy to replace Kohli in that spot for India.

“It feels great to see his versatility. He previously scored a century at No. 3, and now he has adapted to the No. 5 and No. 6 positions so beautifully. This is an amazing quality,” Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.

“It’s about time. When Virat and Rohit leave, Rohit, obviously, is a top-order batter, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is there to replace him, but I feel there will be a left-handed batter in Virat’s place. He has that game; we saw the way he scored runs in the Duleep Trophy. His first-class average is around 55. So, he can fit into all three formats pretty easily,” Jaffer said.

“For me, it’s the ‌last World Cup I’m going to play for India,” Kohli told broadcaster JioStar on Saturday.

“That is my motivation and like, you know, to leave everything out there. And of course, the goal is absolutely to win the World Cup and whatever it takes, I’m absolutely ready,” he added.

The upcoming World Cup will be Kohli’s fifth ODI World Cup. “The intensity of ⁠a 50-over World Cup is greater than anything. Because now, it’s about 10 games at a Twenty20 level of intensity,” he said.

Jaffer also spoke about Abhishek Sharma and noted his observations on how the batter has matured in recent  times.

“It seems that Abhishek has matured a bit. He takes a little time, and the assurance is visible now, although this format doesn’t give you a lot of time. His earlier approach was to try to hit a six on the first ball. Now, he has understood that it was the wrong approach,” Jaffer observed.

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