Pujara and Jadeja spell double trouble for Lanka
COLOMBO: May be it’s the conditions that has helped them give off their best, but the contribution of Saurashtra boys Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja has played a vital role in India’s dominant run which has seen them roll over all opposition in their last eight series.
They are unstoppable in this series. Pujara has helped himself to back-to-back hundreds to be the batting star of the series. Jadeja walked away with the Man-of-the-Match award in the second Test for his attacking half-century and five-wicket haul in the second innings.
Their numbers speak volumes. Pujara began his turnaround at the Sinhalese Sports Club in 2015.
This week, he returned having established himself as the backbone of India’s batting with seven centuries in two years.
Jadeja came to the fore in the 2015-16 Test home
Pujara, I would give him more credit because he only plays one format for India VIRAT KOHLI, On Pujara’s form
series against South Africa, claiming 23 wickets. Since then, he has gone on to become ICC’s No I ranked Test bowler with 14 wickets against New Zealand, 26 versus England, six versus Bangladesh, 25 versus Australia, and in this series he already has 13.
Virat Kohli, who was not so sure about Pujara’s role when India played here last time, said the batsman has taken his game to another level.
“Pujara and Ajinkya are our two best Test batsmen, especially in the middle order. Pujara, I would give him more credit because he only plays one format for India. To be able to have that hunger and passion day in, day out working hard on his game, coming out and having those consistent performances takes a lot of mental strength.”
The value of Jadeja on tracks offering some assistance was not lost on the Indian captain, especially when other bowlers struggled.
“Guys who have both abilities are rare to find. That’s where they’re precious. Jadeja can give you a very quick 60-70, which can turn the game.”
“He’s bowled so much that the other discipline was left behind, but now he’s catching up in that as well. If he doesn’t bowl well on a particular day, he can score runs. Once he scores runs, then he gets confidence with the ball also. He’s always in the game, his fielding as well.”