#360cricket: India must back Cheteshwar Pujara after Sri Lanka heroics

Ajit Vijaykumar 07:28 31/08/2015
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  • Back where he belongs: Cheteshwar Pujara was unfortunate to lose his spot.

    Cheteshwar Pujara had long been seen as the future top-order bulwark of Indian Test batting.

    The sheer weight of his domestic performances (three triple centuries) made many believe it was just a matter of time before he made it big on the international stage.

    He had a prolific 2012, logging scores of 48, 206 not out, 41 not out and 135 in succession. He scored another double century the following year – against Australia at home – before making centuries against the West Indies and in South Africa.

    The world seemed to be at his feet, but 2014 brought him back down to earth. 

    He got regular starts in England, but failed to reach three figures even once in five Tests. The story continued in Australia as he struggled to make a sizeable score and soon murmurs began of Pujara losing his mojo.

    The rise of Ajinkya Rahane, Lokesh Rahul and the persistence with Rohit Sharma (pictured below) saw Pujara lose his spot in the team.

    India went to Bangladesh and ignored Pujara. Then in the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, the Saurashtra batsman remained on the bench. 
    But soon, batsmen started to succumb to injuries.

    Openers Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay played one Test apiece before both were ruled out of deciding Test. Finally, with no other player to fall back upon, Pujara was pencilled in, albeit as an opener.

    A batsman once touted as the next Rahul Dravid was being asked to face the new ball first, but at least he had been provided an opportunity. Now it was up to him to show how hungry he was.

    In the SSC Test, the Indians were put in on a wicket that had a lot of help for the seamers. While the rest of the top order batsmen struggled in the first essay, Pujara held the innings together with a scintillating century in the first innings.

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    Had it not been for him, and the late heroics of leg-spinner Amit Mishra, India would have been bowled out for less than 200. But thanks to the 27-year-old, the Indians are in a strong position in the deciding Test.

    Pujara got out in the first over in the second innings but not many would have complained as it was an unplayable delivery from Dhammika Prasad.

    If the Indian think tank needed any proof of Pujara’s value, he has provided a conclusive one with his knock of 145 not out.

    Wherever the Indian team plays and whosoever is available for selection, Pujara has to be a part of the playing eleven.

    Given India’s six-batsmen, five-bowler strategy, some batter  has to sit out and it will be a travesty if it’s Pujara.

    Regular openers Vijay and Dhawan will soon be fit and they will walk into the side as they have been successful for some time. 

    Since captain Virat Kohli and Rahane are indispensable and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (or Naman Ojha) has to be picked, that leaves one spot in the top order. If any batsman has to lose his spot in the team, it has to be Sharma. 

    The Mumbai batter has been consistently inconsistent since his two centuries in his first two Test knocks at home. His technique against the moving ball is still suspect and lack of fitness is a growing concern.

    To have him in the side at the expense of a Rahul or Pujara will be unfair.
    As of now, India should put Pujara in the position where he belongs – No3 – and have Rahul wait in the wings.

    If one of the openers fails, Rahul can slot right in at the top of the order.

    But the bottom-line is that Pujara has to be in the side. He has one of the better techniques against the moving ball among the Indian batsmen and should have been given a longer run in the first place.

    That Sharma has been given a much longer stint despite his obvious shortcoming shows how much perception plays a part in the sport. 

    Pujara is one of those rare batsmen whose game is moulded for the five-day game. Indian cricket can’t afford to waste such a talent.

    Constructive criticism

    Harsh assessment of one’s abilities is not always the worst thing that can happen to a young cricketer.

    When Shane Warne went on air and said Mitchell Starc struggled to succeed because he was a ‘bit soft’, the Australian left-arm quick unleashed the demon in him and swept aside everyone that came his way, culminating with a superb World Cup campaign.

    Such has been Starc’s transformation, he has even upstaged Mitchell Johnson as the best quick in Australia.

    It seems like India left-arm spinner Axar Patel has taken a leaf out of Starc’s book. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had brushed aside Patel’s credentials as a genuine spinner by stating that he is a mere ‘ball pusher’. 

    Patel has now given Gavaskar some food for thought following his extraordinary spell against South Africa ‘A’ in an unofficial Test, where he bowled six overs without conceding a single run and took four wickets to seal an innings victory.

    Now let’s see if Patel can do a Starc at the world stage.

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