5 batters who did well at No. 3 in Virat Kohli's absence in ODIs ft. Shubman Gill

Filling the shoes of star batter Virat Kohli in any role is among the most arduous tasks in cricket, considering his unmatched batting numbers. However, the champion batter's record in the No.3 position in ODIs is at an other-worldly level to the point where players who replace him during his absence feel unparalleled pressure due to the possible comparisons.

While his 13,027 ODI runs with 47 centuries is a staggering feat, Kohli's numbers at one drop have touched stratospheric levels. The 34-year-old has scored close to 11,000 runs in ODIs at No.3 with an average of over 60 and a 95 strike rate, including 40 tons and 55 half-centuries.

Yet, the wealth of Indian batting is on full display when another batter plays in Kohli's position in his absence and puts on an exemplary exhibition of batsmanship.

Indian fans were privileged to witness one such knock in the second ODI against Australia in Indore when middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer scored a sublime century. Iyer butchered the Aussie attack from the word go and essayed his way to a match-winning 105 off 90 deliveries batting at No.3.

Similar to Iyer's heroics, there have been other instances of Indian batters showcasing their skills with the willow at number three in the absence of the former Indian skipper.

Let us look at five batters who have done the impossible of replicating the magic of King Kohli at No.3 in ODIs.

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#1 Ishan Kishan - 93 vs South Africa, 2022

Kishan fell seven runs short of his maiden international century batting at No.3.

Ishan Kishan has become among India's most versatile white-ball batter in his brief international career. Having batted at every position from one to five in the Indian ODI side, the southpaw had some of his initial success at No.3.

Kishan batted at the one-drop position in his debut ODI and scored a breezy 59 off 42 deliveries against Sri Lanka in 2021. However, a year later, the 25-year-old played his best knock at the No.3 position in the home series against South Africa.

With Team India resting their big guns like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Kishan stepped into the one-down position and smashed a magnificent 84-ball 93 in the second game of the three-match ODI series.

Having lost the opening game, it was also a must-win game for the hosts, yet the attacking batter showed no signs of nerves. He almost scored his maiden international ton while helping India successfully chase down a tricky 280.

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#2 Shreyas Iyer - 80 vs New Zealand, 2022

Iyer has played several valuable knocks at No.3 for Team India in ODIs.

There can be a legitimate argument made for Shreyas Iyer to possibly become the successor to Virat Kohli at the No.3 position in ODIs. The 28-year-old started his 50-over career at one drop in a series against Sri Lanka at home in 2017.

He scored a superb 88 and 65 in his second and third innings at the position in Kohli's absence in the series. Yet, Iyer's best knock at No.3 came in a losing cause in New Zealand less than a year back.

In the opening game in Auckland, the dashing right-hander scored 80 off 76 balls, quashing all claims about his inability to play the short ball way from home by handling Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, and Matt Henry manfully.

Despite propelling India to 306 in their 50 overs, they fell short, with the home side chasing the score down in the 48th over.

Iyer also batted at No.3 in the West Indies before the New Zealand tour, scoring two half-centuries and a 44. He also batted No.3 once in the following series at Bangladesh and scored another impressive 82.

Despite limited opportunities at the position, Iyer has a Kohli-esque record at No.3 in ODIs, with an average of 58.36 and a 97.71 strike rate in 11 innings.

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#3 Shubman Gill - 130 vs Zimbabwe, 2022

Gill scored his maiden international century at No.3.

For all the runs Shubman Gill continues to muster at the opening position across formats, especially in ODI cricket, his first three-figure score for India came at No.3.

Having started his ODI career at one drop in New Zealand in 2019, the 24-year-old endured two single-digit scores. Yet, Gill batted at No.3 in the tour of Zimbabwe in 2022 and scored a breathtaking 130 off 97 balls in the final ODI in Harare.

His knock took India to 289/8 in their 50 overs on a two-paced track as the total that proved just enough for a 13-run victory. It was also the last instance of Gill batting at No.3 before making the opening position his own.

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#4 Ambati Rayudu - 124* vs Zimbabwe, 2015

Rayudu enjoyed tremendous success at No.3 in ODIs.

Perhaps India's most unlucky cricketer, Ambati Rayudu, is one of the only batters to have scored a century at No.3 in ODIs with and without Virat Kohli.

The now-retired 38-year-old scored a sensational 121* against Sri Lanka in 2014 when playing alongside Kohli, with the latter batting at No.4. However, a few months later, Rayudu batted No.3, with Kohli rested in the Zimbabwe tour in 2015.

Coming in as early as the fourth over, the defiant right-hander scored over half of India's runs and helped them reach a competitive 255/6 in their 50 overs. The knock was pivotal, considering the Men in Blue won by just four runs.

Rayudu enjoyed tremendous success at the No.3 position for India in ODIs, averaging a spectacular 68.70 in 16 innings, with two centuries and three half-centuries.

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#5 Sanju Samson - 46 vs Sri Lanka, 2021

Samson played his maiden ODI innings for India at No.3.

To add fuel to the fire of discussions around Sanju Samson being excluded from the Indian ODI squad despite excellent numbers is the batter's ability to play from numbers three to six in just 13 games.

Although the wicketkeeper-batter featured predominantly at No.s 5 and 6, he started his ODI career at three. On his 50-over debut, Samson batted at three in Virat Kohli's absence and scored a valiant 46 off 70 deliveries on a treacherous Colombo wicket in 2021.

However, his knock could only take India to a mediocre 225 as they suffered a three-wicket defeat to the hosts. However, in many ways, the innings announced his arrival on the international stage and his then-highest score across the two white-ball formats.