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Virat Kohli paid the perfect tribute to now-retired Cheteshwar Pujara, the No.3 batting icon who helped Kohli become a better Test batter and captain.
Former India captain and a longtime teammate of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, paid a glowing tribute to the former as
he retired from all forms of cricket on Sunday. Kohli praised Pujara for making his job easier as a No.4 batter for the Indian Test cricket team.
The 37-year-old Pujara, who last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship final, scored 7,195 runs in his 103-Test long career and a massive 6,529 at 44.41 at the crucial No.3 position, providing the Indian top-order the much-needed stability in home and away conditions, and proved to be the perfect successor to the great Rahul Dravid.
Also Read | Cheteshwar Pujara’s legacy: The stubborn batter who made boring beautiful
One of his greatest performances came during the tour of Australia in 2018-19 when he piled up 521 runs in seven innings, helping India win their first Test series Down Under – one of the biggest achievements of captain Kohli.
Pujara made Kohli a better Test player
Paying a heartfelt tribute to Pujara, albeit two days late, Kohli thanked him for making it easy for him as a No.4 batter on Tuesday. “Thank you for making my job easier at 4 pujji. You’ve had an amazing career. Congratulations and wish you the best for what’s ahead. God bless you @cheteshwar_pujara,” Kohli wrote on an Instagram story.
The numbers also underline Pujara’s importance to Kohli as a Test captain and batter. Kohli captained India in 68 matches between 2014 and 2022, winning 40 and losing 17. Pujara was part of the team in 38 wins out of 62 matches.
As batter Kohli averages over 54 in Test matches, he has played alongside Pujara, which highlights how the No.3 batter’s dirty work allowed the former India captain to prosper from the No.4 slot.
It’s not going to be easy for India to replace Pujara soon. They tried out Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the England series with limited success. To succeed in the No.3 position, a batter not only needs a strong technique but also immense mental toughness and bravery that Pujara had in abundance.
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