Statement of Cheteshwar Pujara on Virat Kohli Slowing Down to Reach 100
The star batsman of Indian Cricket Team Virat Kohli reached a new milestone in his illustrious career as he smashed his 48th century in ODI cricket as India hammered Bangladesh in a World Cup 2023 match. As the cricketing fraternity celebrated the new milestone of Kohli, there were a few who wondered if Kohli slowing down to reach his hundred at the end of the game was the right move. There were moments in the match where his non-striking partner, KL Rahul, would even deny singles to ensure Kohli got the strike. The veteran batsman of Team India, Cheteshwar Pujara, however, wasn't happy with this approach.
Cheteshwar Pujara said, “As much as I wanted Virat Kohli to score that hundred, you have to keep in mind that 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.”
Pujara is of the opinion that Kohli and other Indian players should put the team first. As far as personal milestones, he feels it's the mindset of the player that also matters.