“That’s a controversial one” – Virat Kohli picks Cheteshwar Pujara as the worst runner between wickets 

Virat Kohli recently picked his Team India teammate Cheteshwar Pujara as the worst runner between the wickets. The Delhi batter pointed out how Pujara was run out in both innings of the Centurion Test when India toured South Africa in 2018.

He further highlighted how the Saurashtra-born batter didn’t learn from his mistake and even challenged AB de Villiers, one of the best fielders of all time. Speaking recently on de Villiers’ YouTube channel, Kohli said:

“That’s a controversial one. Cheteshwar Pujara. It was the Centurion Test match on the tour of [South Africa in] 2018. I remember, in the first innings, I walked down into the dugout to sit because the stairs are never-ending. So, I came down, and as soon as I sat on the seat, I heard celebrations. I was just taking out my stuff.

“I just saw replays on the big screen. Pujara played the first ball to wide mid-on and he runs off, I think it was Lungi (Ngidi) if I am not wrong, who takes up the ball one-handed, and runs him out in the first innings."

The 34-year-old continued:

“In the second innings, he played the ball wide of the gully and AB was running behind the ball. After AB picked up the ball, Pujara called for the third run. On his call, running to the dangerous end. When they showed the replays, there was no one on the screen.

“It was Quinny just taking the bails off, there was no one there. I was like, you’ve run yourself out in the first innings, how can you be so brave to take on the quickest man on the field and then not be seen in the frame when you’re getting run out?”

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“Him and MS, I wouldn’t even have to call” – Virat Kohli on MS Dhoni

Virat Kohli further picked former India captain MS Dhoni as the best runner apart from AB de Villiers. The former Indian captain explained that there was no need to even call while batting with them.

“AB has been by far the fastest I have run with between the wickets," Kohli said. "The only other guy I had so much coordination and understanding with was MS. Now, I don’t know about the speeds matching in between the wickets but him and MS, I wouldn’t even have to call.”

It’s worth mentioning that Virat Kohli has shared 150+ partnerships with Dhoni against Bangladesh, New Zealand (in ODIs) and England (in Tests).

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli and de Villiers have shared two double-century partnerships in the Indian Premier League (IPL) against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions (in 2016) and Mumbai Indians (in 2015).