Pujara defends timing of declaration

Visakhapatnam, Oct. 5: Senior batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Saturday said that Indian team timed their second innings declaration in such a manner that they didn’t have to start with a soft semi new-ball on the fifth day of their first Test against South Africa.

India batted 67 overs in their second innings to declare at 323 for 4, leaving South Africa with a near-impossible chase of 395 with an hour on fourth day and full fifth day for batting. South Africa finished at 11 for one in nine overs bowled in second innings.

Asked if the timing of declaration was right, Pujara said, “It was. We did not want to bowl too many overs because we wanted to keep the ball hard for start of day five. You don’t want to end up bowling too many overs and once the ball gets soft, it gets slightly easier to bat.”

“We picked up a crucial wicket (Dean Elgar). So as a team, we are happy with the way things went today,” said Pujara, who scored a crucial 81 and shared an 169-run stand with twin centurion Rohit Sharma.

Pujara also felt that it won’t be easy for batting on a fifth day track.

“Hopefully, on day five, this pitch wouldn’t be easy to bat on and there will be a little more assistance for spinners. We have already seen that the pitch offers variable bounce, so the fast bowlers will also come into play. I think so there is enough rough for spinners and the cracks will open up bit more on day five,” India’s everdependable No 3 said.

Pujara is expecting Ravindra Jadeja to exploit the roughs.

We did not want to bowl too many overs because we wanted to keep the ball hard for start of day five. — CHETESHWAR PUJARA