'Put the team first': Cheteshwar Pujara criticises Virat Kohli for slowing down to reach 100 against Bangladesh

Cheteshwar Pujara has criticised Virat Kohli's decision to slow down after reaching 90 in to score 100 against Bangladesh, saying that it was important to put the team first.

Pujara said that personal milestones shouldn't be coming at the cost of the team. He made this comment after Virat Kohli slowed down to score his century against Bangladesh in the Cricket World Cup 2023 match.

"As much as I wanted Virat Kohli to score that hundred, you have to keep in mind, you want to finish the game as early as possible. You want your Net Run Rate to be at the top. If you are in a position where you are fighting for the Net Run Rate, then you don't want to look back and say 'you could have done that'," Cheteshwar Pujara told ESPN Cricinfo.

Pujara thinks that Virat Kohli and other Indian players should make the team their utmost priority. He further added that personal milestones are important, but it is the mindset of the player that matters.

"That's where I feel that as a collective decision, maybe you have to sacrifice a bit. You want to look at the team, you want to put the team first, that's how I look at it. You want your milestone, but not at the cost of the team. As a player, you always have a choice. But some players feel if they get a hundred, it helps them in the next game. So it depends on what kind of mindset you have," he added.

"The pitch was getting slower and slower, and it was becoming more difficult to bat," Pujara said. "So, Virat slowed down a bit to make sure that he didn't get out. And it worked out for him, because he was able to get a century."

Kohli's century was his first in Test cricket since December 2019. It was also a crucial innings for India, as it helped them to post a first-innings total of 416.

Earlier, Australia legend Matthew Hayden also spoke about Kohli slowing down after 90 runs and said that the player's form can backfire if he starts flirting with it.

"My initial reaction was he has earned the right to get to his hundred. You have got to be very careful in these tournaments. These things matter. The great Ian Bishop often talks about this, these things matter. The sporting gods are sinister-like, if you start flirting with that sort of form, then it can bit you. But it's a decision that they both took. I don't really have a problem with that." Hayden said.

Virat Kohli asserted his dominance on the global stage with his 48th ODI century against Bangladesh in the 2023 World Cup. Kohli paced towards the century, as India stood on the brink of victory, needing just 19 runs. The chase unfolded in the final overs, with Kohli denying singles and spotlights for the coveted three-figure mark. Partnering in this pursuit was KL Rahul, unperturbed at the non-striker end, fully supportive of the iconic batter's manoeuvring tactics. The 34-year-old Kohli swiftly shifted his gameplay, with a clear agenda of hunting boundaries rather than depending on exhausting runs between the wickets.

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