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Team India’s batting legend Virat Kohli has paid a heartfelt tribute to Cheteshwar Pujara, who announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on Sunday, August 24. Kohli’s message, shared on his Instagram story, recognized Pujara’s crucial role at the number three position and how his selflessness and resilience made the job easier for the former captain at number four.
Virat Kohli pens touching tribute as Cheteshwar Pujara retires
In a sincere message posted on his Instagram story, Kohli thanked his long-time teammate for his contributions. Kohli’s post, which quickly went viral, read, “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.”
Pujara, often hailed as the successor to the legendary “Wall” Rahul Dravid, played a key role in numerous Test victories for India, especially during the historic series wins in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21. His ability to wear down opposition bowlers and bat for long periods allowed the likes of Kohli to come in with the ball’s shine worn off and the bowlers tiring. It was a partnership built on contrasting styles but a shared goal of winning Test matches.
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The numbers that define a partnership between Kohli and Pujara
The statistics from their time together on the field further emphasize the profound impact Pujara had on Kohli’s success. Kohli’s own Test average stood at over 54 when he played alongside Pujara, a testament to how the number three’s ‘tough work of blunting the new ball and soaking up pressure enabled the former India captain to prosper from the number four slot. As captain, Kohli led India to 40 wins in 68 matches, with Pujara being part of 38 of those victories. The partnership between them was a formidable one, with the duo accumulating 3,513 runs in 83 innings together, including seven century stands and 18 fifty-plus partnerships.
Pujara’s influence was never more evident than during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2018-19, where he was rightfully named the Player of the Series. During that historic tour, Pujara scored a monumental 521 runs in seven innings at an average of 74.42, including three centuries. He also faced an astonishing 1,258 deliveries, effectively blunting Australia’s formidable pace attack and setting the stage for India’s historic series win. The challenge now for India is to find a suitable replacement for Pujara at the number three position, a role that demands not only a strong technique but also the immense mental toughness and bravery that he had in abundance.
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