AFTER SLOWEST TON, PUJARA SAYS MCG TRACK HARD TO TACKLE

MELBOURNE: Cheteshwar Pujara acknowledged MCG’S drop-in pitch was difficult to score on after compiling a patient 106, and suggested conditions would get tougher.

Pujara brought up the slowest of his 17 hundreds (off 280 deliveries), but it was his steely knock that anchored India’s innings, powering them to 443/7 before Virat Kohli declared. The pair raised 170 runs for the third wicket.

Pujara said it was difficult to score quickly on the pitch and that it was getting trickier – he was bowled by one from Pat Cummins that kept unexpectedly low after he was hit on the glove two deliveries earlier as the ball reared from a short of length spot.

“It’s a tough pitch to score runs on. If you look at the first two days, the number of runs scored (in a day) is very (few). In a way, scoring 200 in a day is a tough task.

“There was a difference I felt while batting in how the wicket was on the first day and today. So, I think we have enough runs on board. You have to bat according to the wicket. On another wicket, I may have scored 140 or 150 after facing so many balls (319).

“As a batsman, it is tough to get used to this pace; you will get a slower one, and one odd ball kicks up. I got hit on my finger 3-4 times. Those were not short balls. They were back of length and I got hit on my gloves.”

Pujara has sometimes been under pressure for not scoring runs at the same consistency overseas as he does at home. “I always knew I can score runs. It is always good to get those hundreds. It was a perception that I always score runs at home. But India play a lot of Tests at home. Sometimes, things become really difficult … My job is to score runs and I’ll keep doing that, home or away. Sometimes you get criticised and you just have to accept it. But if India keep winning, ultimately everyone is happy.”

‘TEST IN BALANCE’

Australia opener Aaron Finch felt the game was still in the balance. “All three results are still on the table, 100 per cent, India (win), Australia (win) and a draw.

“It’s not your traditional Australia wicket where you have three slips and a gully all day and you bang away … On such pitches, regardless of what the wicket is, you’ve got to be good enough to adapt and change your plans and execute on the day.”