ENG vs IND 2018: Century In Southampton Your Best: Virat Kohli To Cheteshwar Pujara

India skipper Virat Kohli, on Saturday, hailed Cheteshwar Pujara for his gutsy century in the first innings of the fourth England vs India Test.

India were in the driver’s seat while replying to England’s modest 246 in the first innings. At 141/2, India were in control with Virat Kohli and Pujara batting well and in the middle of a solid stand. The two were heading towards stitching a century stand before the game turned on its head. Sam Curran made Kohli edge one to Jos Buttler which allowed England to tighten up the screws.

Ajinkya Rahane was soon sent back by Ben Stokes for just 11. Rishabh Pant struggled to get off the mark and returned to the hut after a 29-ball duck before Tea. India had slumped to 181/5. Hardik Pandya,  R Ashwin and Mohammed Shami did not last long either as India were reduced to 195 for 8. A lead at that time was looking out of sight as Pujara was fast running out of partners. With Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah now left,Pujara faced a herculean task to revive India’s innings.

And the right-hander defied all the odds to give India a handy 27-run lead. He waged a lone battle, remaining not out on 132 as India recovered to post 273. Pujara added 78 runs for the last two wickets with Ishant and Bumrah contributing just 20 of them.

Impressed with the knock Kohli said it was Pujara’s best innings till date.

“It is by far your best knock that I have seen, I thought Colombo was your top knock but this has to be at the top of the table,” said Kohli during an interview with Pujara in BCCI.TV.

Drawing a comparison with his Test hundred in 2015 in Colombo, Pujara makes a difference in the outcome of the series.

“Colombo was challenging but the situation here was even more challenging and the series which is quite balanced now, with that innings we are at commanding position and if we can bowl well today, we can get them out cheaply and win the Test match, so it could be a series-defining knock,” he said.

Kohli further praised the tail-enders, who hung on and helped India take a slender 27-run lead.

“When we were batting we thought we can take 100 plus lead easily. But then the team collapsed and then you showed great determination and the tailenders were outstanding,” he said.

Pujara also followed suit, saying:

“When I was batting with the tailenders, initially I thought I might be 80-85 not out and we will get bowled out. But the way Ishant (Sharma) and (Jasprit) Bumrah batted, I was really pleased.

“I don’t think we have seen many tailenders do that in the past, so I think we can rely on our tailenders. So it was pleasing to see the determination from the players.”

Meanwhile, England have taken command of the game at the end of day three. Riding on Jos Buttler’s fifty, they finished the day on 260 for 8 with their lead extended to 233.