Virat Listen To Advice But He Will Always Play His Natural Game: Cheteshwar Pujara

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Team India skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara have been two of the strongest pillars of the Indian test side for quite some time now. These two, however, are completely different from each other in terms of the batting approach but are the most important players for the team.

Virat and Pujara like to play with each other. Despite the fact that Virat likes to dominate the opposition while Pujara grinds them out, both make one of the most successful pairs in test cricket. The duo has accumulated 2894 runs together with 7 hundred and 14 fifty-plus partnerships and an average of 47.44 in 62 innings together.



Cheteshwar Pujara who bats at number 3 says that he likes to bat with Virat Kohli because he is a very positive player and likes to play his shots which takes the pressure off him. Speaking to Harsha Bhogle in Cricbuzz in Conversation episode, Pujara said -

"I enjoy batting with Kohli because he's a positive player. Once he's at the crease, I know that bowlers will try and take his wicket because they feel that they can get him out early".

"But his approach is different, he'll be positive. If he gets a half-volley on the first ball, he'll try and hit it for a four. So the scoreboard is moving, there's not much pressure on my side because the opposition is thinking that they'll have to pick Virat's wicket and he's playing positive", he added.



"Their focus is shifting to Virat and I can be relaxed at the other end. There have been times where because their [opposition's] focus is on Virat, I get some extra loose balls."

When asking about what they discussed at the crease while batting, to which Pujara said, "As soon as he comes he will ask what are they (the opposition) trying to do, how the ball is swinging. If it's a left-arm seamer, what are the angles he is using, whether he's trying to bowl an inswinger or an away swinger? There's a lot of communication."

Pujara also revealed that they like to help each other when any of them makes a mistake the other one will go to him and tell what should be done apart from building up the partnership. He also said that even though Virat will listen to the advice he will still play his natural game.



"There are times where he would've played a cover drive when the ball is on the fifth or sixth stump, and I'll go and communicate to him that this is too wide. He plays his natural game, no doubt about that but he's ready to listen to that advice. Because if the ball is too wide for a cover drive, he also understands that it is not in his zone so he doesn't need to play that".

"But he will play a cover drive on the ball which is on the off-stump or fourth stump, but if it is on the fifth stump, he will listen. He will tell me 'yeah I didn't play that well", Pujara added.

As the coronavirus pandemic has put a break on the cricket, Pujara will have to wait till December when team India will tour Australia. However, Virat Kohli will be in action rather soon in the 13th edition of the IPL which is scheduled to be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10.

Stay tuned...