Anil Kumble : Strike rates are relevant only for bowlers in Tests

Anil Kumble has come out in defence of Cheteshwar Pujara following the debate surrounding his strike-rate. Kumble, in a press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday (September 28), ascertained that as far as he was concerned there was no pressure on Pujara or importance of strike-rate for batsmen in Tests.

"I know there is a lot of strike-rate in the last eight years after the advent of T20," said Kumble. "When I was playing, in Test cricket, strike-rates were mostly talked about for bowlers and not for batsmen. That's how I like to look at it. In a team, you need different characters, different quality players. Players whose skillsets are suited to different challenges that happen in a Test match. Because we've seen that that's what happens in a Test match. That's the beauty about Test cricket. From my point of view, as far as I am concerned, strike-rates are relevant only for bowlers in Test matches," he said.

The coach's views come soon after the captain Virat Kohli talked about how he was impressed with Pujara's improved strike-rate at the end of the first Test in Kanpur.

"In West Indies, what we spoke about was the need for... he is someone who absorbs the pressure really well but after a certain stage in the innings there comes a time when the team needs runs. That's where we felt that he has the ability to capitalise. It was just about conveying that to him. He has worked hard on his game. He scored at a good strike-rate in the Duleep trophy. Even on this wicket, he was scoring at 65, almost 70 strike-rate. For me it was a revelation, to see Pujara bat that way, because he used to bat that way initially," Kohli had said.

Pujara got to bat once each in the first two Tests in West Indies where he scored 16 off 67 balls and 46 off 159 balls but scored much quicker in the first Test against New Zealand where he had twin fifties at a strike-rate close to 60.

But Kumble defended him strongly saying that even his innings' in West Indies were very important."I think based on situations, you need to bat. Yes, Virat is right that someone like Pujara in the West Indies, probably on one occasion... and he only played two innings. And both those innings were relevant. Even in the first Test match, Vijay got out cheaply and then he and Shikhar had a good partnership till lunch. That was crucial for the team, because we went into lunch losing only one wicket. And we all know the importance of the first session of a Test match which is the first Test of a series.

"So the relevance of Pujara is extremely there. But I'm really surprised and a bit disappointed that this talk keeps coming up. As long as someone reads the situation and plays according to the situation, that's what is expected of the team. And he is a very important cog in our team and in our plans. And he's been successful and I know that he will continue to be successful," voiced Kumble.

That he has come out strongly in defence of Pujara while also contradicting some of the views of Kohli might raise eyebrows but they are also views that challenge the captain's. These comments will also probably allow Pujara to breathe a little easier considering that there was seemingly always a sword dangling over his head.

"I don't think Pujara has ever breathed easily, from all you guys' perspective and some people who are constantly watching him," he told the media. " At least from the team management and the team's perspective, there is absolutely no pressure on Pujara. Like I mentioned earlier as well, he's a very important cog in our team. And we've seen over the years his contribution. Even in the last Test match, we saw the importance of his contribution to the team's cause," he said.