Virat Kohli Weighs In On Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara Debate Ahead Of 3rd Test In Cape Town

India Test captain Virat Kohli backed veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the third Test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town. Pujara and Rahane were under severe pressure due to a prolonged lean patch in Test cricket but the experienced campaigners hit counterattacking fifties in India's second innings in the second Test in Johannesburg to show their class. Pujara and Rahane's 111-run stand for the third wicket was one of the main reasons why India were able to give South Africa a 240-run target. It, however, was not enough as the hosts chased it down with seven wickets in hand riding on an unbeaten 96 by captain Dean Elgar to level the series.  

Pujara, who has not scored a hundred for more than two years now, scored an attacking 53 at the Wanderers. Rahane, on the other hand, scored his first fifty in four Tests. Kohli said their experience in overseas conditions is "priceless." 

"If you look at the last Test especially in the second, both Rahane and Pujara (batted really well)... That experience if priceless for us.  In a series like this where you know these guys have done the job in the past. When you play overseas in tough conditions, these guys will always step up with impact performances. We've seen that in Australia. We saw that in the last Test as well. These are crucial knocks in crucial scenarios. That has a lot of value," Kohli said in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the series decider. 

The likes of Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer have been knocking on the doors to grab the middle-order's spot permanently in Test cricket but Kohli feels the "transition should happen naturally" and not "forced" on individuals. 

"I cannot pinpoint when we will have a transition. The game in itself pans out in such a way that things happen naturally. It can't be forced. Conversations cannot be forced about transition. We should let transitions unfold naturally instead of forcing it on an individual," Kohli added. 

The prolific right-hander also erased doubts about his fitness and confirmed his availability for the Cape Town Test. 

"I am absolutely fit," Kohli, who had missed the Johannesburg Test due to a back spasm, said on Monday. 

However, he added that Siraj will not feature in the game after he suffered a hamstring injury in Johannesburg, where India lost by seven wickets. 

"Siraj is obviously recovering from the (hamstring) niggle he had in the last game and at present, I don't think he is match-ready to take the field in the third Test. 

"You cannot obviously risk a guy who is not at 110 per cent as a fast bowler and we know how important that is as the little niggle he had can extend into an injury," the skipper said. 

Topics mentioned in this article

South Africa vs India 2021/22 Virat Kohli Ajinkya Rahane Cheteshwar Pujara India Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team Cricket