Cheteshwar Pujara took time to speak up for Virat Kohli in this time of not going his way. Pujara has a lot of goodwill for Kohli despite extended lean spells since started his career when India will be takings were arch-rivals Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
When Pujara was asked about Kohli’s lack of runs recently, he said on CNN-news18 that Kohli has set too high a standard himself and is trying too hard to score big. The players go through the patches quite often in their careers and he feels it’s too understandable; thus he might be doubting himself, after all, he was almost every time India’s pick to score the big runs.
“I think when someone like Virat Kohli scored so many runs in different formats and is experiencing a bad patch since he had not been in his prime, talking of himself outside the world, ’cause anyway everyone talks whenever he doesn’t score. But set the standards high for himself, and then when he fails to live up to these runs that he would normally score, that’s when he starts putting so much pressure on himself,” said Pujara.
“I mean, like I said, he knows his game really well. But then degree same things do happen. You go through a rough patch, and that’s when you’re self-doubting sometimes, where you expect yourself to score a hundred. But you know, even if he scored a fifty, which always helps the team, even he understands that,” he added.
#INDvsPAK | #ViratKohli knows his game very well but when you are not in form it creates self doubt. But he is a class ODI player and let's hope he gets runs in the tournament, says @cheteshwar1#TheRightStand #ChampionsTrophy2025 | @AnchorAnandN pic.twitter.com/cnIpPPcPnz
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 21, 2025
Pujara thinks Kohli must start scoring soon and thinks being positive after recently viewing him against England in ODIs is a good sign. Although surrounded by pressure at this moment as a batting great, he believes Kohli knows his game and believes he can come good on special occasions.
“We saw against England in the ODIs where he got 50, times when he would have been disappointed with the score because he’s someone who typically goes big runs, especially in the ODI format. We have seen him score hundreds. If he cannot achieve that, he might have doubts and put pressure on himself-Come on, you must do more,” Pujara said.
“But for someone like him, you know, he knows his game really, really well, but he has to stay relaxed and any role that he plays is so significant,” he added.
India, having won their first game, is challenging their arch-rivals Pakistan at the ICC Champions Trophy on Sunday. The game will prove to be vital for both teams on their way to semi-final qualification. The Men in Blue have an opening win by six wickets against Bangladesh. However, the pressure on Pakistan will be after having suffered a heavy defeat to New Zealand by 60 runs and will therefore have to earn a win in the coming match if they are determined to remain alive in the race for knockouts.
