Pujara replies to ‘intent’ barbs in his own way
MUMBAI: In his 89th Test, and 11 years since his debut, Cheteshwar Pujara fails to convince the world that strike rate in long form cricket is overrated. From time to time, his approach to batting comes into question, but he rarely gives in.
It appeared on Saturday, in what was one of his really brisk starts to a Test innings, that he was consciously looking to answer calls seeking more intent from him. But was that really the reason behind his stroke-filled start?
Pujara said before leaving for England, “I do have a very good game plan for long formats and I don’t need to move away from that.”
We could play those lines on loop before every series and they won’t change. He is one of the best at elite level to compel bowlers to bowl in his areas. The big point of difference with Pujara and a lot of other modern Test batsmen is he acquires this right by playing the waiting game.
He was unfazed when his first run came off 35 balls in the second innings at Lord’s with his spot in the side being questioned. He batted like he did because the bowling was good and the match situation didn’t give him the license to take risks. He’s been used to crowds mocking his slow starts, once before in Johannesburg in 2018 when he took 53 balls to get off the mark. He got a fifty though as India won.
Ankle sprain
Minutes after lunch on Saturday, Pujara sprained his ankle. For some time after a long break for treatment, his movements seemed restricted. Many boundaries flowed off his bat. But by then he had already motored to 21 off 29 balls with four boundaries. Either side of lunch, Pujara was dealing only in fours, scoring 30 off the first 50 runs in his partnership with Rohit Sharma.
Ankle niggle or not, never in scoring any of his fours did Pujara bat differently from his trusted method. England were simply poor, letting him off the hook. Just like they gifted him some leg-side freebies at the start of his Leeds innings (91), at The Oval too they pitched it too short.
While his first boundary was a drive through long off, after that all Pujara did was cut and pull. In the 17th ball he faced, Pujara tried to take the leather off a Moeen Ali short ball. Jonny Bairstow got in the act behind the stumps to sledge. The next ball was another long hop and he rocked back to smack him past square leg. Ali’s short balls were a direct outcome of Pujara using his feet even in defence to the offspinner. Again, Pujara’s way to run accumulation coming to the fore.
Frustrating bowlers
With the wicket lacking pace and little swing on offer, Ollie Robinson was too short and Pujara cut him for a four to the left of point. Craig Overton too didn’t stick to the script, once bowling to his legs with the next one short and wide. Pujara obliged with two more boundaries, which got the fast bowler angry and he threatened to throw the ball back.
It’s not often when Pujara and Sharma are at the crease that the India No. 3 is rattling the bowlers. Pujara’s strike rate at the time was 75 and Sharma’s 36. It was one of those days where Pujara batted with authority, but he played the shots that he always does. It was the England bowlers who bowled to his strength early in his innings. Even the upper cut he played off Chris Woakes has been seen before.
“I am very confident that if there is a match situation that demands me to play more shots, I don’t mind trying them,” he had said. England bowlers kept away from bowling in the channel to him and Pujara was there to take advantage.
By the time England corrected, Pujara went back to playing percentage cricket. Normal service resumed as Sharma outscored Pujara by the time they had posted their 100-run partnership. When he finally fell to the second new ball on 61, his scoring rate had dropped to 48. But by then India were 136 runs ahead.
Pujara had served another reminder that scoring rates are dictated by essentially the match situation.