Pujara learns the hard way that nobody runs out Kohli
India’s No3 was forced to sacrifice his wicket after crazy mix-up, writes Tim Wigmore at Lord’s
James Anderson was bowling 80mph leg-spin, like a 21st-century version of Sydney Barnes. Swinging the ball late down the slope on a greentinged wicket, Anderson was best played from the other end. Cheteshwar Pujara was recalled for moments like this. At Edgbaston, Virat Kohli was the only Indian to pass 31, while the rest floundered against the moving ball. And so the attraction of Pujara, a batsman who is a fine leaver of the ball, has an immaculate forward defensive and averages 50 in Test cricket.
After collapses as lame as at Edgbaston, suddenly Pujara’s poor series in 2014, underwhelming record in county cricket and average of under 27 in Tests away from Asia could easily be ignored.
Five balls into the start of this Test, Pujara walked through the Long Room at Lord’s, where Anderson, five prowling slips and sepulchral skies lay in wait.
Facing Anderson on days like these at Lord’s is rather like trying to best Muhammad Ali in a fight in Kentucky. And throughout the next eight overs, even through a two-hour break for rain, Pujara was stuck at Anderson’s end for all but four balls. As the ball curved away late – and, occasionally, in – Pujara poked and prodded, rendered near comatose by Anderson’s magisterial skills.
In his first 18 balls that he received from Anderson, Pujara was beaten five times, edged another three and made only a solitary run. The 19th ball that he received was innocuous by comparison. It swung in a little, but neither viciously nor late. Pujara was able to play it easily enough, with soft hands.
He started running, sensing an opportunity to rotate the strike and be free of Anderson. Kohli was quick to respond. Then, Kohli stopped, uncertain that a run was there. All that was left was the absurd sight of India’s No3 and No4 simultaneously running to the wrong end – until Pujara, forlornly, turned back to ensure that the bedlam would not claim Kohli’s wicket.
It does not matter who is to blame; nobody runs out Kohli. In the last 16 run-outs Kohli has been involved in for India, 14 have accounted for his partner. Pujara has now been run out in three of his last six Test innings.
As he walked off, the rain pelted down and the rest of the players had to follow him off – a fallacy as pathetic as the running between the wickets which preceded it. Now, at least, all the Indian batsmen had some relief from Anderson.