Virat Kohli retires from Tests: 5 players who could replace Indian batting great at No.4

With Virat Kohli's retirement from Test cricket, the crucial No.4 spot in the Indian batting line-up is up for grabs. Throughout his career, Kohli batted at No.4 position and amassed over 9000 runs, including 30 centuries in Tests.

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Who will succeed Virat Kohli at No.4 in Tests?

Team India star batter Virat Kohli has officially pulled the curtains down on his 14-year illustrious Test career ahead of the five-match series against England. Kohli had already communicated to the BCCI about his willingness to retire from red-ball before officially announcing his decision.

Kohli finished his illustrious Test career as the fourth leading run-getter for India with amassing 9230 runs, including 30 centuries and 31 fifties, at an average of 46.85 in 123 matches. He also led Team India from 2014 to 2022, winning 40 matches in 68 matches, making him the most successful Asian captain. Virat Kohli’s last appearance came in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, scoring 190 runs, including a century, at an average of 23.75 in nine innings.

With Virat Kohli retired from Tests, the big question is who will succeed him at No.4 in the batting position, as the spot remains one of the most crucial in India's red-ball setup.

Here are 5 contenders who could be the next No.4 batter for India in Tests

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1. Shreyas Iyer

Shreyas Iyer could be an ideal candidate to replace Virat Kohli at No.4 batting in Tests. Iyer has not played a Test match since his last appearance in the format in February last year. After being dropped from the BCCI central contract list for players, Iyer was not picked for the Test series against Bangladesh, New Zealand, and Australia. With Iyer regaining his central contract after successful ODI series against England and Champions Trophy, the Mumbai batter is likely to be picked for the England Test tour and can accommodate him at the No.4 spot, which was left vacant by Kohli. In Test career, Shreyas Iyer has amassed 811 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, at an average of 36.86 in 14 matches.

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2. KL Rahul

In his Test career, KL Rahul has batted from the top to middle order of the line-up, making one of the natural choices to take the No.4 batting position. Rahul was an opener when he started off his Test career and played at the top-order until he was moved to No.5 spot after Rishabh Pant was ruled out due to injury following his car accident in late 2022. Since then, Rahul has been deployed as middle order and wicketkeeper. He had stepped up for the team in crucial situations and anchored the innings in the middle-order. With the departure of the best batter, KL Rahul could take over No.4 spot in the batting line-up in the longest format of the game.

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3. Sarfaraz Khan

Another batter who could be a potential successor to Virat Kohli at No.4 in Tests is Sarfaraz Khan. After toiling hard in domestic cricket, especially first-class format, Sarfaraz earned his maiden Test call-up for the series against England. He made an instant impact scoring three fifties in five innings. The 27-year-old announced his arrival in international cricket with a brilliant century in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. Though Sarfaraz Khan warmed the bench throughout the Test series against Australia, the young batter could be an ideal candidate to succeed Kohli at No.4 position in red-ball cricket, given his remarkable consistency in domestic cricket and his ability to score big runs under pressure.

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4. Ajinkya Rahane

Indian veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has not been in the radar of the selectors after the World Test Championship Final 2023. However, one cannot deny the fact that the Mumbai batter was once one of the batting mainstays for the India Test side in the middle order and anchored the innings under pressure. With Kohli retired from Test cricket, Rahane can be included in the Test squad for the upcoming Test series against England, given his experience of playing in English conditions and his past record overseas. In his Test career, Rahane has mostly batted in the middle order and amassed 5077 runs, including 12 centuries and 26 fifties, at an average of 38.46 in 85 matches.

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5. Nitish Kumar Reddy

Rising Indian star Nitish Kumar Reddy could emerge as a potential candidate to take over No.4 spot in the batting line-up after Virat Kohli’s retirement from the longest format of the game. Nitish made his arrival in the Test arena with an impressive century against Australia in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Throughout the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the 22-year-old batted in the lower-order of the line-up and could be promoted to No.4, given his ability to bring stability in the batting, which was evident during the series against Australia. In his Test career, Nitish Kumar Reddy has aggregated 298 runs, including a century, at an average of 37.25 in nine innings.