Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed his thoughts on the debate who is a better batman between MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli for Team India at No. 3 in the ODI cricket.
Recently, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has picked Dhoni over Kohli, claiming the legendary cricketer could have smashed more records and scored more runs if he had batted at the No.3 spot on a permanent basis in One-day International cricket for Men in Blue.
However, Pathan has a different opinion on the matter, voting for current India captain ahead of former Indian skipper when it comes to batting at No.3, as the former seamer believes that Kohli has a better technique than Dhoni to bat at number 3 for Team India.
Pathan said on Star Sports’ Show Cricket Connected: “MS had all the chance to bat at No. 3, he didn’t. Look, I really believe that if you compare Virat and Mahendra Singh Dhoni batting at No. 3, I still feel Virat has a better technique.”
Dhoni batted 16 innings at No. 3 and smashed 993 runs at an average of 82.75 – the highest average among all the positions he has batted at in the ODI format of the game since making a debut in 2004.
However, the 38-year-old has played the majority of his cricket at No. 6, amassing 4164 ODI runs at 47.31. Overall, former India captain has played 350 ODIs and scored 10,773 runs at 50.57 with 10 hundred and 73 half-centuries for India so far.
On the other hand, Kohli has scored 9,751 runs in 187 ODIs at a scintillating average of 62.90 with 36 centuries for India so far. Overall, the right-hander over 11800 ODI runs in 248 ODIs so far.
However, former all-rounder hailed Dhoni as an absolute legend but said since it was given the option to choose between Kohli and MSD, he’ll go for the current India captain any day for the No.3 spot.
Pathan signed off by saying, “There’s nothing that I am taking away from MS, obviously he has been an absolute legend of the game. Everyone has their own opinion. I will still take Virat any day.”
(With India Today Inputs)
