IAN CHAPPELL

There are two choices when selecting the type of No 3 batsman for a top-ranked Test side. There’s the instinctive counterattacker who, despite his aggressive nature still has the technical expertise to withstand a good spell with the new ball.

The perfect example is Australia’s former batting champion Ricky Ponting.

If that type of player isn’t available then you need someone with the patience of a fly fisherman, a brick wall defence and the unselfish outlook that allows him to bury his ego in order to improve the chances of success for his fellow batsmen. The prototype for this type of No 3 is India’s Rahul Dravid. Cheteshwar Pujara isn’t quite the snug fitting Armani suit that was Dravid at No 3 but he’s cut from the same cloth.

He showed at Adelaide the value of patience and persistence and strong mindset. While these qualities helped him blunt the Australian attack they should also be a lesson to his more adventurous teammates. Between his defiance and their desire-to-bedominant style of batting there is an acceptable middle ground.

If India was hoping Pujara’s patient accumulation would blunt the Australian pace bowlers so that the plentiful stroke makers around him could dominate, the ploy failed. However without Pujara’s invaluable contribution India’s total could easily have led to a first Test capitulation and the possibility of a team hattrick.

While a hattrick is usually a great accomplishment in cricket, on this occasion it would have referred to away Test series losses in South Africa, England and Australia. Instead, Pujara’s major contribution and the skill of Ravi Ashwin have India in with a chance to win in Adelaide. Such a confidence boosting victory would be a reminder of India’s 2003-04 achievement at the same venue when Dravid excelled in