Since the retirement of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, there have been doubts on whether India has quality replacements for the two stalwarts in Test cricket. But if the recent form of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat kohli are any indications, the India middle order is quite solid.
Kohli, already a star thanks to the IPL and his one-day exploitys, proved he had the temperament to last the distance in the longer format as well, with a hundred against Australia at Adelaide early this year, the only batsman to shine on an otherwise abysmal tour. His grit and self-confidence was well-known on the first-class circuit but he had to prove himself all over again in India whites, and he has managed to do so.
Some people think he has had it easy to break into the Indian side, tailormade as he seems for the shorter formats with an aggressive and in-your-face brashness -- definitely easier than Pujara -- but that's not true.
What is true is the fact that Pujara seems far more suited for Tests, and his runathons in domestic cricket are legendary. A solid technique coupled with an imperturbable temperament and infinite patience helped the 24-year old Saurashtra lad score three triple tons within a month, a record commendable in itself.
Long before he made his India debut, Pujara had been touted as the 'next Dravid'. A composed 72 in his debut Test helped India notch up a victory against Australia in 2010 before a kneww injury cut short his stay, returning only for the series against New Zealand earlier this year, same series that saw Laxman bid adieu.
The two are similar and yet different, in several ways. Virat belongs to Delhi, and has had the company of the likes of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir to hone his skills with; Pujara is from Rajkot, often waging a lone battle for his team. Virat is outgoing, extrovert, flamboyant, an advertiser's delight and captain material, having led India at the under-19 level with distinction; Pujara is an artist with an insatiable appetite for runs, getting his head down and grinding his way.
Kohli will always be expected to deliver, though at the moment he is free of any comparisons; Pujara has been living with the moniker 'next Dravid' for so long that it's almost become part of his official profile. And everytime he walks out for India at No. 3, there will be numbers thrown at him to compare his performances with the original Wall.
They are similar too. Both are 24-year-old, both lost a parent early on ( Pujara his mother and Virat his father) but fought back the tragedy through cricket, both are talented with an array of shots suited for all forms and both put a premium on their wicket.
As and when Kohli does get around to setting the comparison charts active -- he will sooner or later replace Sachin Tendulkar at No. 4, and those are huge, huge shoes to step into -- he will have for company Pujara, who would by then hopefully got used to his own little burden of comparisons.
Together, Kohli and Pujara instill faith that the famed Indian middle order is far from being brittle. Now, if only India found the 'next Laxman' as well.
(Source)
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