dovecot-common software package provides virtual package provided by dovecot-core, you can install in your Debian 9 (Stretch) by running the commands given below on the terminal,
$ sudo apt-get update $ sudo apt-get install dovecot-common
dovecot-common is installed in your system.
Make ensure the dovecot-common package were installed using the commands given below,
$ sudo dpkg-query -l | grep dovecot-common*
You will get with dovecot-common package name, version, architecture and description in a table
| Distro | Debian 9 stretch |
| Section | Virtual packages |
| Package | dovecot-common |
| Version | |
| Description | virtual package provided by dovecot-core |
| Sub Section | Virtual |