India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara scored a fine unbeaten century to hand the No1 Test team a slender 27-run lead in the fourth Test against England on Friday.
India had collapsed to 195-8 in the Southampton Test thanks to off-spinner Moeen Ali, who snared five wickets. But Pujara found able support in No10 batsman Ishant Sharma (14 off 27 balls) and Jasprit Bumrah (6 off 24) to hit a superb century that dug India out of a deep hole.
Pujara’s ton was his 15th in Test cricket and arguably one of his finest as it came with India on the verge of losing the series as they trailed England on Friday with a 1-2 deficit to contend with as well.
Here’s an analysis of Pujara’s superlative century.
STATISTICS
RUNS: 132 not out
BALLS FACED: 257
BOUNDARIES: 16
STRIKE RATE: 51.3
Cheteshwar Pujara...
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 31, 2018
15th Test 100
5th vs England
1st in England
5th away Test 100
1st in 2018
45th in fc cricket#EngvInd
30-SECOND REPORT
Batsmen fell around him like nine pins but Pujara batted at his own pace. Even when India collapsed from 142-2 to 195-8, Pujara kept his cool. The moment he received half-decent support from Ishant, Pujara went up a gear. When Rishabh Pant was out for a 29-ball duck with India five down, Pujara was on 70. But the Saurashtra batsman didn’t lose his nerves and cashed in once batsmen at the other end showed some resolve.
GOT RIGHT
Batting with tail-enders while facing a deficit and with the series on the line takes a lot of heart and application. Pujara showed exceptional game sense to farm the strike and hit the boundaries to first take India to England’s total of 246 and then beyond it. Tailenders Ishant and Bumrah did their bit by hanging around but Pujara did the heavy lifting, running as hard between the wickets as he ever has in his career.
Any kid thinking I don’t have enough talent to make it, look at Pujara, that’s your role model right there.#Grit
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) August 31, 2018
GOT WRONG
He did make a couple of mistakes while rotating the strike. He took two to reach his century off the final ball of the 73rd over, leaving No11 Bumrah to face the next over with India still in the deficit. Bumrah faced the first ball of the over on six occasions, including against the new ball, and that wasn’t the smartest strategy. It got the job done but wasn’t a safe option.
VERDICT: 9/10
One of the finest Test centuries from Pujara. With the series on the line and India’s batting imploding on the second day, the match could have slipped out of India’s grasp on Friday. But Pujara ensured India are very much in the hunt.
