Virat Kohli's Successor At No. 3 Picked By Former India Opener (Source: AP)Virat Kohli has been one of India's greatest ODI batters since taking over the no. 3 position. Over the years, he has become one of the best players in the format and has played a major role in India’s successful run chases.However, Virat Kohli has confirmed that the 2027 ODI World Cup will be his last appearance in the tournament. His retirement will leave a big gap in India’s batting order, especially at no. 3.However, recently, former India opener Wasim Jaffer has picked Tilak Varma as the player to fill that position in the future.Wasim Jaffer Backs Tilak Varma's Name As Virat Kohli Replacement At no. 3Wasim Jaffer is impressed by Tilak Varma’s ability to bat in different positions. The left-hander has already played at no. 3, no. 4 and no. 5 for India in ODIs. He has also taken on different roles in T20 cricket."It feels great to see his versatility. He previously scored a century at No. 3, and now he has adapted to the No. 5 and No. 6 positions so beautifully. This is an amazing quality," Jaffer said on his YouTube channel. He also believes that India could benefit from having a left-handed batter in the top order after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma move on.Also Read: When Will Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Play Next After IND vs WI ODI Series 2026?"When Virat and Rohit leave, Rohit, obviously, is a top-order batter, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is there to replace him, but I feel there will be a left-handed batter in Virat's place. He has that game; we saw the way he scored runs in the Duleep Trophy. His first-class average is around 55. So, he can fit into all three formats pretty easily," Jaffer said.Tilak Varma's ODI Credentials for IndiaIt is worth noting that Tilak Varma has played only five ODIs for India so far, scoring 68 runs at an average of 22.67. He has batted twice at no. 3, once at no. 4 and once at no. 5.Tilak Varma's best ODI score is 52, which came while batting at No. 5. His most recent ODI appearance was against South Africa in December 2023-24. In that series, he managed 63 runs in 3 innings at a strike rate of 57.27 and an average of 31.50.Despite Tilak Varma's limited ODI experience, his ability to move around the batting order could work in his favour as Virat Kohli's successor at no. 3 in future.Also Read: Can Virat Kohli Break Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 Centuries Record? Dinesh Karthik Answers
