Get your century, but not at team’s cost: Pujara to Kohli
Criticising Kohli for focusing on his century rather than finishing the game early, the veteran batsman has advised him to put the team above his personal ambition
Former Indian skipper Virat Kohli on Thursday (October 19) made history when he hit a century against Bangladesh in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 tournament at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune.
The Indian cricketing icon wrapped up his 48th ODI ton by hitting a Nasum Ahmed delivery over the boundary and cruising India to a 7-wicket victory over Bangladesh. It was Kohli’s 78th ton in international cricket and India’s fourth straight victory in the World Cup tournament.
Even as Kohli got a standing ovation from the fans as they erupted in a joyous roar at India’s win, the knock has come in for flak from both fans and cricketers alike for Kohli slowing down the game to reach his personal milestone.
Cheteshwar Pujara was not happy with Kohli’s approach at the crease. According to Pujara, he did not take singles in his pursuit of a century and thus did not put the team ahead of his personal ambition. He should have finished the game early.
“As much as I wanted Virat Kohli to score that hundred, you have to keep in mind, you want to finish the game as early as possible. You want your Net Run Rate to be at the top. If you are in a position where you are fighting for the Net Run Rate, then you don't want to look back and say 'you could have done that',” ESPN Cricinfo quoted Pujara as saying.
Pujara went on to say that a player should always put his team first and personal milestones should not come at the cost of the team. “That’s where I feel that as a collective decision, maybe you have to sacrifice a bit. You want to look at the team, you want to put the team first, that's how I look at it. You want your milestone, but not at the cost of the team. As a player, you always have a choice. But some players feel if they get a hundred, it helps them in the next game. So it depends on what kind of mindset you have,” the veteran cricketer, known for his distinct batting style, further said.
Pujara is not alone in questioning Kohli’s approach during the game. Australian legend Mathew Hayden cautioned Kohli against getting into that “sort of form”. Even though Hayden defended Kohl’s right to “get his hundred”, he said a player should “be very careful in these tournaments”.
“My initial reaction was he has earned the right to get to his hundred. You have got to be very careful in these tournaments. These things matter. The great Ian Bishop often talks about this, these things matter. The sporting gods are sinister-like, if you start flirting with that sort of form, then it can bite you. But it's a decision that they both took. I don't really have a problem with that,” Hayden was quoted as saying in media reports.
Some of Kohli’s critics were not that charitable in their comments on his game.
Australia’s RoarSports termed his game disgraceful for putting himself above his team. “Never in his long and glittering career has Kohli so obviously and so disgracefully put himself above the team he once led,” The Roar, an Australian sports opinion website wrote on X.
However, former Pakistan pacer and captain Wasim Akram defended Kohli, commending him both for his cool knock and for his fitness.
