"Virat ka koi nahi soch raha" - Basit Ali suggests new batting position for Kohli for 5th BGT 2024-25 Test

Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali reckons India should push Virat Kohli down to No. 5 and promote in-form Nitish Reddy to No. 4 for the last Test against Australia in Sydney. Ali criticized Kohli for failing to learn from his mistakes and getting out in the same fashion game after game.

India went down to Australia by 184 runs in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne that concluded on Monday, December 30. Chasing a target of 340, the visitors were all-out for 155 in 79.1 overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scored with 84, but Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma failed again, perishing for single-figure scores.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ali lashed out at the Indian team, questioning their tactics in Melbourne. He also opined that Kohli must move down the order since he is unable to find answers to his woes outside off stump and further suggested that Reddy must bat at No. 4. He said (as quoted by Times of India):

"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.

"Perform nahi ho raha to apna number toh neeche karo na. Rohit upara 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)," the 54-year-old added.

Reddy notched up his maiden Test ton in the first innings in Melbourne. He has scored 294 runs in seven innings at an average of 49. As for Kohli, he has 167 runs to his name from seven innings, but 100 of those came in one knock in Perth.

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"Gill should have played, even if he scored a zero in both the innings" - Basit Ali on move to drop batter for 4th BGT 2024-25 Test

Ali also questioned the decision to drop Shubman Gill from the playing XI for the MCG Test. He blamed Indian captain Rohit for sacrificing Gill's place in the playing XI so that he could open the batting.

"Gill should have played, even if he scored a zero in both the innings. But just because of your number (Rohit's opening position), you disturbed the lineup of the entire team," the former Pakistan batter commented.

Having missed the opening Test in Perth due to a thumb injury, Gill registered scores of 31 & 28 in Adelaide before being dismissed for one in Brisbane.