Ravichandran Ashwin drops TRUTH BOMB; claims Virat Kohli owes his success to..

Former Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has showered praise on his former teammate Cheteshwar Pujara after his retirement. The veteran player also stated that Pujara was instrumental in helping Virat Kohli make a lot of his runs in Test cricket, adding that he didn’t always get the same recognition.

Pujara announced his retirement after playing 103 Tests. He scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60 with 19 centuries and 35 fifties. Pujara last played for India during the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval. He was recently not picked in the West Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy.

Cheteshwar Pujara Instrumental in Helping Virat Kohli Score Runs - Ravichandran Ashwin

Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’, Ravichandran Ashwin said that Cheteshwar Pujara’s presence at No. 3 was vital to India’s Test success. Ashwin pointed out that Pujara absorbed pressure that set the platform for Virat Kohli to score runs.

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“What did Cheteshwar Pujara stand for in Indian cricket? I said his contributions are no less than Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Obviously, a lot of people talk about their contributions. The attention is not there,” said Ashwin.

“Not every cricketer gets the attention, but that does not mean their contribution is any less. Pujara's contribution at No.3, believe it or not, was instrumental in helping Virat Kohli also make a lot of his runs,” he added.

Pujara and Virat Kohli shared several partnerships during their time together on the Indian Test side. He played his marathon knock against Australia in Ranchi in 2017, where he became the only Indian to face over 500 deliveries in a single Test innings.

Cheteshwar Pujara Played 53 Balls Before Getting Off the Mark - Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin recalled Cheteshwar Pujara’s fighting knock on a dangerous Wanderers pitch in 2018. Ashwin said that Pujara faced 53 balls before scoring his first run, adding that his efforts went unnoticed.

“There was a wicket in South Africa, the game had to be stopped at the Wanderers. The wicket was deemed dangerous. We had lost the series. Pujara played 53 balls before he got off the mark,” said Ravichandran Ashwin.

“Just see that scorecard, Pujara's batting helped us out. It was a low-scoring game. He always did the thankless job; the ball was seaming a lot in that Test. Pujara's contribution is unbelievable. People don't talk about him much, but he is a bona fide legend. There are not many players like him,” Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.

Pujara’s Gritty Knock on “Poor” Johannesburg Pitch Helped India’s Win in 2018

Cheteshwar Pujara showed remarkable courage during the 2018 Johannesburg Test on a pitch that was rated “poor” by the ICC. He faced 53 dot balls before opening his account and went on to make a gritty half-century off 179 deliveries in India’s first innings. Pujara and Virat Kohli helped India post 187.

In response, South Africa scored 194 on a surface with uneven bounce and seam movement. Batters copped several blows, forcing match officials to step in at one stage.

Pujara was dismissed for just 1 in the second innings, but India managed to set a 241-run target. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami picked up a five-wicket haul that sealed the victory. India bowled South Africa out for 177, giving them a consolation win on the tour.

Also read: Ex-South Africa captain revokes retirement from international cricket ahead of World Cup