IND vs AUS : Ex Pakistan Batter Suggests New Role For Virat Kohli Ahead Of 5th Test, Says 'Everyone Afraid Of Kohli'

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Basit Ali, former Pakistan batsman has suggested that Gautam Gambhir, the Indian head coach, and the team management consider changing Virat Kohli's batting position due to his lack of form.

Kohli, who bats at the vital No. 4 spot, traditionally reserved for the team's best batter, has been struggling in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

While Kohli managed a century in Perth earlier in the series, his performance has dipped significantly, as he has failed to score a fifty in the subsequent three Test matches. This rough patch has prompted calls for a batting order reshuffle to help Kohli regain his form.

His repeated struggles with deliveries outside the off-stump have led to questions about his place in the team. Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali believes that a change in Kohli's batting position might help him overcome this rough patch. Ali suggested that Kohli could benefit from moving one position down in the batting order, allowing him more time to settle and adapt to the conditions, potentially revitalizing his form

"Now is the time to bring Nitish up at No. 4 and Virat Kohli at No. 5 because he is not able to score at No. 4. He's getting out on the same shot," said Basit on his YouTube Channel.

"Perform nahi ho raha toh apna number toh neeche karo na. Rohit upar neeche kar raha hai, Virat ka koi nahi soch raha, kyunki darte hain na sab (if you are not able to score then drop lower down the order; Rohit is doing that but nobody thinking about Virat because everybody's afraid)," he further added.

The 36-year-old's performance in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has sparked concerns about his Test cricket form. The star batter has managed only 167 runs across four matches, averaging a modest 27.83. With just one Test left in the series, the pressure is mounting on Kohli to deliver a significant performance and silence his critics. His struggles have raised questions about his ability to adapt and contribute consistently in the longest format of the game.