IND vs NZ: When was the last time Virat Kohli batted at No. 3 in test cricket?

Virat Kohli came out to bat at No. 3 in the first IND vs NZ test in Bengaluru.

Superstar India batsman Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck in India’s first innings of the first test against New Zealand at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. Interestingly, there was a change in Kohli’s batting position: instead of his regular No. 4 spot, the 35-year-old batted at No. 3.

This change was forced due to the absence of the regular No. 3, Shubman Gill, who missed this test owing to neck stiffness.

Kohli, though, struggled completely in his innings as he was dismissed for a nine-ball duck. New Zealand pacers Tim Southee and William O’Rourke had the former Indian captain hopping and fending as the ball moved in the air and off the pitch.

Finally, Kohli’s misery was ended by O’Rourke as he fended a short-pitched delivery to leg gully, where Glenn Phillips took a brilliant catch diving low and in front. This continued Kohli’s dismal form in test cricket in 2024: in seven innings this year, he averages only 26 and hasn’t hit a fifty yet.

When was the last time Virat Kohli batted at No. 3 in test cricket?

The last time Virat Kohli batted at No. 3 in test cricket was in 2016 against West Indies in Gros Islet. In that test, he managed scores of only 3 and 4. So the No. 3 position has not yielded desired returns for Kohli in test cricket.

In fact, in his career, he’s batted at No. 3 seven times and averages a poor 16 with a highest score of 41.

Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, India have been left tottering at 10/3 by the Kiwi pacers. Captain Rohit Sharma was dismissed for only two runs before Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan bagged ducks.

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