India’s average runs scored per over in Tests in the last two years is 3.5. That’s a very health scoring rate, which has helped India – like other top teams – wrap up wins in three or four days.
In the first Test against Australia in Adelaide, India hit seven sixes. Yet the scoring rate over 88 overs was less than three an over – 2.8 – as they were bowled out for 250.
When Australia batted, the scoring got even slower. The hosts were bowled out for 235 in 98.4 overs for RPO of 2.3. When India batted in the second innings, they did no better. Virat Kohli took 104 balls for his 34 as the No1 Test side reached 61 overs for 151 runs – at 2.4 runs an over.
Welcome to Cheteshwar Pujara’s dreamland. In 2016, Pujara was asked by the Indian team to ‘quicken up’ when batting. Since then, he was involved in six of the next eight Indian run outs as he attempted to show more ‘intent’ – a one-word joke in Indian cricketing circles.
The Adelaide Test is right up Pujara’s alley, and up to his doorstep. Shot making was difficult and the outfield heavy, which meant batting for long periods against two high quality pace attack and spinners.
This is what Pujara does for a living, even at the domestic circuit. His strike very rarely goes over 40 or nudges beyond 50 per 100 balls faced. But put 150-200 balls in front of him and there is generally a hard-fought fifty or a priceless century – as was the case in the first innings in Adelaide – to show for all the graft.
This Chesteshwar Pujara innings is worth an IPL orange cap earned over 14 games in 8 weeks across the country. But this man won’t get a contract. So we must find a way to acknowledge and compensate his excellence. #AUSvsIND
— Rahul Fernandes (@newspaperwallah) December 6, 2018
Pujara has already scored more than 160 runs in the Test and if he bats for a substantial period on Sunday, the Aussies will not only face a stiff fourth innings target but be forced to contend with an in-form batsman that is not Kohli.
Pujara offers a very specific sets of skills. He assesses the conditions, opposition’s attack and state of the match and builds an innings at his pace. The game goes at his speed, the runs are scored when he gets comfortable. There is simply no place for wild swings en route to a few runs; like KL Rahul did during his 44 in the second innings.
Maybe Kohli will score a breathtaking 200 at some point in the remaining three Tests. Maybe Rahul or Rishabh Pant or Rohit Sharma will span 100 off 120 balls and set the match up. And Pujara’s adroit innings will get nothing more than an smile and a nod.
But every ‘star’ batsman in the Indian team will know that when the going was tough in the first Test, Pujara’s way was the only way.
