The Indian cricket team clinched the Test series against New Zealand comprehensively and went right on top of the ICC Test team rankings. The team was praised by the cricketing fraternities across the globe for its’ ability to perform as a team and not being dependent on individual performances.
The captain of the Indian Test team, Virat Kohli, was lauded by many throughout the series for being tactically proficient. His aggressive approach to the game seems to have rubbed on to his players as well.
Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was the latest one to praise the captain for his tremendous ability to lead the side in tense situations. Speaking to the Times of India, he said:
"Kohli's aim is to win each and every match. He is not afraid to promote youngsters and that approach boosts a player's confidence. There is a lot of energy in the dressing room as well."
Also read: Virat Kohli instructs Cheteshwar Pujara to up his strike rate
Pujara was also happy about the fact that Kohli has been consistently backing him up. He said:
"It matters a lot when you enjoy the captain's confidence and he appreciates your effort"
He went on to add that the Indian team has become a lot more flexible under the captaincy of Kohli and that there is no fixed spot for any batsman.
The right-hander also mentioned about Anil Kumble's contribution to his development as a cricketer. He said,
"Anil bhai is someone who understands the players' psychology. He is very clear in what he wants from his players. He drew my attention to small details and told me what I should have been doing all these days.
I cannot divulge anything more but I can say that the discussions with him did bring a change to my mindset and subsequently, there was a change in my intent."
Also read: Virat Kohli opens up about the impact of having Anil Kumble as the head coach
Pujara also said that Kumble had a key role in the century that he hit in the second innings of the Indore Test against New Zealand. He was quoted by the Times of India as stating:
"At stumps on the third day of the last Test, when I was batting on one run, I had a chat with Anil bhai. He told me that I had all the shots in the book and there is no reason why I cannot get a hundred. He gave me the assurance and I went on to score the century,"
Pujara was the leading run-getter in the Test series against New Zealand. He scored 373 runs at an impressive average of 74.60.
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