Pujara reminisces Kohli’s impact on Test Cricket as the latter announced his shock retirement from the format.
According to his India teammate Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli’s legacy will be defined by his unwavering devotion to Test cricket and his tireless attempts to champion the oldest and most difficult format of the game.
After a stellar 14-year, 123-match career, Kohli retired from Test cricket. Pujara reminisces on the values that Kohli introduced to the longest format.
“He paid a lot of attention to Test format in the era where all the youngsters were looking to play more of white-ball cricket,” Pujara said. “For Virat, the ultimate format of the game was Test cricket and for that, he worked really hard.”
“When he started leading the team from 2015 onwards, that’s the time when he brought in the fitness culture in the Indian team. All the teams were trying to work hard on their fitness, but in the Indian team, the fitness had to improve and that was the time when the shift did come in.
“The number of fast bowlers who came into the Indian team at that time also had to work on their fitness. The entire team started working on the fitness and at the same time, Virat paid a lot of attention to the Test format and he wanted the team to be one of the best in the world.”
Pujara said that Kohli’s unwavering concentration on capturing 20 wickets to win Test matches, even if it meant occasionally playing one fewer batter, was one of his most distinctive traits as captain. In several cases, including the first two Test matches of the 2015 tour to Sri Lanka, Pujara himself was forced to miss out.
“From the time he was in charge, he always wanted to take 20 wickets,” Pujara said. “So the intensity on the field was very important. And for each and every player to put in those suggestions to take those 20 wickets, it was important that everyone came together and then we started working towards the goal.
“He wanted to create that environment and atmosphere on the field where the batters who are batting, they felt the pressure. They felt that we were hunting in the pack. We are on the field to pick wickets. We are not just trying to be there and wait for the moment to pick a wicket. We are there to pick wickets at any time.”
Pujara cited the Lord’s Test match against England in 2021 as a clear illustration of Kohli’s aggression and leadership. On the last day, when it seemed like time was running out, Kohli gave a stirring address in which he urged his bowlers to give England “60 overs of hell” before India walked out to bowl. In the end, India won by a thrilling 151 runs, taking a 1-0 series lead.
“That was one of the best victories I have been part of,” Pujara reminisces. “Because no one thought that India can win that Test match. It was a brave declaration on day five where only 55-60 overs were left and on a pitch which looked a flat pitch, where to bowl a team out was a big challenge.
“Credit goes to the way everyone performed, the way bowlers bowled, the way Virat led the team, and even the way team management supported that call, because it was important to declare. There are times where you feel like it’s a flat pitch, there’s no point wasting our energy, but that was a brave call and we ended up winning that Test match.”