“Controversial One”: Virat Kohli Names India Test Veteran As ‘Worst Runner Between Wickets’

The enigma of Virat Kohli is not just about the amount of runs that he has scored. It is also about the intensity that the former Indian cricket team captain shows on the field.

Apart from having an eye to find regular gaps between fielders, Kohli’s game is also underlined by the quick singles that he takes. With supreme fitness to back him up, Kohli’s running between the wickets is one of the best in the world. Recently in a chat, which had his former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers too, he was asked a tricky question.

“Who’s the worst runner that you have ever run with between the wickets?” the interviewer asked Kohli on Three Sixty YouTube channel. “That’s a controversial one. Cheteshwar Pujara. I’ll tell you a story on it,” Kohli said with a big smile. The answer saw de Villiers break into a laughter too.

Then Kohli narrated a story. “It was the Centurion Test match on the Tour of 2018, and I remember first innings, I walked into the dugout because the stairs are never-ending. As soon as I sat on the seat, I heard celebration. I saw replays on the big screen, Pujara plays first ball to wide mid-on and he runs, I think it was Lungi (Ngidi), picks up the ball and runs him out. First innings, no worries,” Virat Kohli said .

“The second innings Parthiv Patel plays a ball, wide of gully. AB is running behind the ball. After AB has picked up the ball, Pujara has called for the third run. On his call, running to the danger end, when they showed the replays ther was no one on the screen. Quinie just taking the bails off, there was no one there. I was like, ‘You were run 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 on the screen while being run out. That’s the worst call I have seen in my life.”