‘Three batsmen in the field would have been very funny’

India were left in a spot of bother when two of their batsmen walked out to the middle to bat at No.4 following the wicket of Shikhar Dhawan during the third and final T20I at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday.

Virat Kohli was batting at the crease when he saw Risabh Pant coming in from the dugout while Shreyas Iyer appeared from behind the sight screen. Both appeared to be unaware of what was happening but Iyer eventually backed off and let wicket-keeper batsman Pant go and join the captain in the middle.

It was a case of India’s confusion over who to bat at number 4 taken to a whole new level.

Kohli himself was amused as well. “I think there was a miscommunication. That was what I understood afterwards," he said after the Proteas won by nine wickets to level the series 1-1.

"The batting coach had a word with both of them. There was a misunderstanding over who has to go at what stage," Kohli said. "It was a little funny as well afterwards because they both wanted to walk in. So it would have been very funny if both reached the pitch, you know three batsmen in the field."

Asked who was originally slated to bat at number four, Kohli said they ‘had plans’ according to phases.

“I think after 10 overs what we had decided was that Rishabh would walk in, and before that, Shreyas had to walk in. But I think both of them got confused and didn't realise who has to walk in at what stage of the game," Kolhi said.