Replacement identified for Virat Kohli [Source: AFP]Virat Kohli has established himself as one of the greatest all-format batters in the history of the game. For years, the former India captain has been considered virtually irreplaceable, especially in the ODI setup, making the prospect of finding a long-term successor a particularly challenging task.For now, the BCCI seems to have identified Kohli’s replacement for when the legendary batter confirms his retirement following next year’s 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa.Ruturaj Gaikwad considered as ODI successor for Virat KohliAs reported by PTI journalist Kushan Sarkar, the BCCI is considering Ruturaj Gaikwad as an ideal successor of Virat Kohli in ODIs. Sarkar said that the current BCCI selection committee wants Gaikwad to take over India’s number three position once Kohli announces his retirement after the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup next year.Also Read- “Few Indian Players Objected To Virat Kohli's Method”- Bhuvneshwar Kumar's RevelationIt is worth noting that the former Indian captain is indeed expected to bow out of the game after the 50-overs spectacle in South Africa in late-2027, considering the legendary all-format batter has already retired from T20Is and Test cricket.What is Kohli’s record at number three for India?Virat Kohli stormed into the Indian side in mid-2008 after leading India U19 to World Cup glory in Malaysia. So far, the legendary right-handed batter has played 314 ODIs for India, aggregating 14,941 runs in the process at a prolific average of 58.59, the highest among all batters with over 4,000 ODI runs, let alone 14,000.While Kohli has already surpassed Sachin Tendulkar for the record of most ODI centuries, he is only trailing the former cricketer in terms of most runs aggregated in the format.Notably, Kohli has spent a majority of his ODI career as a number three batter for India, having batted at the position 247 times. At number three, he has mounted 12,820 runs at a staggering average of 61.33 and with a strike rate of nearly 95.Among his 54 ODI hundreds, Virat Kohli has hammered 47 tons at number three to go along with his 69 fifties.Can Ruturaj Gaikwad replace Virat Kohli at number three?Ruturaj Gaikwad has so far played just nine ODI matches for Team India since making his debut against South Africa in Lucknow in October 2022. He played the last of those nine matches, also against South Africa, in Vizag in December last year.In eight innings, the CSK skipper has minted only 228 runs, which included 105 of those in a single innings in Raipur against the Proteas. Despite his underwhelming beginnings in ODIs, Ruturaj Gaikwad is highly regarded within Indian cricket and considered a strong candidate for a long-term role in the ODI setup.He has already replaced one Indian legend by becoming captain of the CSK franchise following the self-demotion of five-time IPL-winning skipper MS Dhoni.With CSK management already entrusting Ruturaj Gaikwad with the responsibility of leading the franchise, it remains to be seen whether he can eventually justify the BCCI’s faith and establish himself as India’s long-term option at number three in ODIs.Also Read- How Bangladesh Women Will Play Asian Games Semi Final Without Playing A Ball In Quarter Final?
