Cheteshwar Pujara called back to team India after Virat Kohli's failure at number 3 vs New Zealand

Former Team India head coach Anil Kumble questioned the team management's decision to send Virat Kohli to the No. 3 position during the first Test against New Zealand.

Anil Kumble said that the Men in Blue missed Cheteshwar Pujara in the No. 3 position, adding that he could've stopped the batting collapse.

Shubman Gill was ruled out of the series opener against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru due to a stiff neck.

Young batter Sarfaraz Khan replaced him in the playing XI. Virat Kohli came to bat at No. 3 when the home team lost the first wicket for nine runs in the seventh over.

However, this move didn't work for the Rohit Sharma-led side, as Kohli was dismissed for a nine-ball duck.

The Men in Blue lost wickets at regular intervals and bowled for just 46 runs in the first innings. It's worth mentioning that it was India's lowest total in the longest international format on home soil.

Virat Kohli Should Have Batted At No. 4 - Anil Kumble

Speaking on Jio Cinema, Anil Kumble said India lacked stability at No. 3 during their match against New Zealand. He added that Virat Kohli should have batted at his usual No. 4 position and stated that Cheteshwar Pujara's experience in handling the new ball would have helped the team.

"Virat Kohli should have batted at No. 4, he is your number one batter at that position. For the number three position, [you need] someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, who did so well for so many years playing there. 100 Test matches because he would have been there today, then I don't think he would have gone looking to hit the ball," said Kumble, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Virat Kohli's Record At No. 3 and No. 4 In Test Cricket

Virat has an impressive record at No. 4, scoring 7,355 runs at an average of 52.53 with the help of 25 centuries. However, his performance at No. 3 has been poor, with only 97 runs at an average of 16.16 across seven innings. Notably, the right-handed batter averages just 26.16 in four matches this year.

Cheteshwar Pujara Would Allow The Ball To Come On - Anil Kumble

Anil Kumble said that Cheteshwar Pujara's presence at the crease could have impacted India's performance. He said that Pujara is calm and patient, unlike wickets given away by other Indian players. The former cricketer said that India is certainly in a spot of bother in the match.

"He (Pujara) would allow the ball to come on and that's where you miss someone like that. Kind of an approach today. And India is certainly in a spot of bother here,'' Kumble further told.

Cheteshwar Pujara has not played a Test match for India in over a year. His last appearance was in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia, where he scored 14 and 27 in two innings. He was left out of all four squads for the upcoming Duleep Trophy 2024, ahead of the home Test season.

Also read: Tim Southee delivers cold-blooded verdict on Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma amidst India's Bengaluru humbling