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'Is the glass half full or half empty?'- Ex-India players have their say on Kohli and Pujara's century drought
It has been 42 innings for the veteran No.3 batsman since his last Test century and 57 innings for Virat Kohli since his last international century
India have been the most dominating team in Test cricket, winning back-to-back series in Australia, dominating in England in their recent tour and being an invincible force at home for over a decade, yet there has been one question troubling the minds of most cricket fans, analysts and even veterans of the sport, pertaining to the century drought of both of India's senior batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. Speaking on the topic on Sunday, former Indian cricketers VVS Laxman and Aakash Chopra had their say.
Cheteshwar Pujara
It has been 42 innings for the veteran No.3 batsman, having last reached the three-figure mark en route to his 193-run knock against Australia in the Sydney Test in January, 2019.
Pujara looked well set to get to his century in the second innings against New Zealand in Mumbai on Sunday having handed a new role in the game as an opener, alongside Mayank Agarwal after Shubman Gill had injurred his arm while fielding, but he was dismissed dismissed by Ajaz Patel for 47 just before Lunch on Day 3.
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Laxman finds the streak worrisome for Pujara and feels that it can get frustrating for the batsman with people around him talking about it.
"Yes, it’s definitely a worry. Because the batting position Pujara usually bats is No. 3. You usually get a lot more opportunities (to score hundreds) than when you’re batting at No. 5 or No. 6," Laxman told Star Sports.
"He had a wonderful opportunity, just like Mayank Agarwal. He will be probably very disappointed because it was not just about missing a half-century but a big hundred. But he found a method out to negate the short-pitched strategy from Southee. I thought he had a wonderful opportunity to get a hundred," he added. "It’s about people talking about that and it can get frustrating. The quicker you get to the 3-figure mark, then everyone will stop talking and then you can go out and do your business with a very, very free mind."
Aakash, on the other hand, had a bit more positive to speak about Pujara, who he feels has done enough to stay in the side, but added that he needs to score the big century as it might get tough going forward.
"Is the glass half full or half empty? ... He has certainly scored runs, albeit missed his half-century. He couldn't open his account in the first innings so 47 in the second innings is not a bad return. From one point of view, it's OK that he has got some runs under his belt. But the fact is that he didn't score a century here either. And if that won't happen, the way forward will be very tough," he said speaking on his YouTube channel.
"I think he's doing alright, he's doing just enough to stay in the side. You also want to give him a longer rope... But when you look at the bigger picture then you feel that it's high time he scored runs and centuries," he added.
Virat Kohli
For the Indian captain, it has been 57 innings since his last international century, having last scored in 2019 against Bangladesh in the Pink Ball Test, en route to his match-winning 136.
He was dismissed for a four-ball duck by Ajaz after a controversial lbw dismissal in the first innings, but returned to score 35 in the second innings but chopped one onto the off stump from Rachin Ravindra.
Laxman remains unfazed over Kohli's century drought as he feels that there isn't a technical problem behind it.
"I just think he has to wait patiently. If there is a pattern in the way he is getting dismissed, when he is out there in the middle if he is struggling to time the ball, if he is struggling to get on top of the ball, then it’s a problem. I don’t think he has that problem. I just think it’s about him going out and playing a long innings and once that long innings comes, once he gets to that milestone, we all know what Virat Kohli can do," he told Star Sports.
Aakash too is of a similar opinion, explaining that Kohli is an all-format player and has been scoring runs in other formats, unlike Pujara, who is a Test player and hence lack of runs makes his case difficult.
"His case is different from Kohli's because we see Kohli play every week... He plays all formats so the wheel keeps moving, runs keep coming from somewhere or the other... When you play continuously, you make those important contributions, and [think that] the century will come. But as Pujara plays only Tests - last he played in September and will next play in South Africa and Sri Lanka - then the gaps are bigger and his case becomes difficult," he said.
