Cheteshwar Pujara: King of batting obduracy - Opinion | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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Cheteshwar Pujara: King of batting obduracy - Opinion

ByIan Chappell
Jan 06, 2019 09:54 AM IST

Cheteshwar Pujara joined an illustrious compatriot in the equally defiant Sunil Gavaskar, who achieved a similar feat in 1977-78. In accumulating 521 runs in seven innings, he was at the crease for a mammoth 1,867 minutes and was not tempted by a high percentage of the 1,258 balls he faced.

“Bat time” along with “a good leave” are my two least favourite prognostications from the cricket commentary box but I doubt I could convince the redoubtable Cheteshwar Pujara.

Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates after scoring his 150 runs.(REUTERS)
Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates after scoring his 150 runs.(REUTERS)

In scoring three centuries in a series in Australia, Pujara joined an illustrious compatriot in the equally defiant Sunil Gavaskar, who achieved a similar feat in 1977-78. In accumulating 521 runs in seven innings, he was at the crease for a mammoth 1,867 minutes and was not tempted by a high percentage of the 1,258 balls he faced.

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While the Australian cricket team was keeping a wary eye on Virat Kohli, Pujara snuck up from behind and executed the perfect mugging.

In addition to helping India win a series for the first time in Australia, Pujara frustrated a top-class opposition attack to the point of submission. The fast bowlers were worn to a frazzle by the end of the Indian first innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the lower order, for much of the series the ducks in the shooting gallery, were scoring frequently and freely.

Not only had Pujara single-handedly brought the Australian bowlers to their knees but he’d also paved the way for his teammates to deliver the killer blows.

READ: India vs Australia Live Cricket Score 4th Test Day 4 in Sydney

Pujara may not be the prettiest player to watch -- unless you’re an Indian fan -- but he’s the most effective blunter of an attack in a cricket world where currently, bludgeoning is the favoured submission hold.

MONUMENTAL PATIENCE

It’s no surprise to hear that Pujara has been known to bat in the nets for six hours to train his mind to spend lengthy spells at the crease. If he didn’t invent the term “bat time” Pujara is certainly a disciple of the method.

Pujara possesses two great qualities for a batsman; he knows what he can and can’t do and he has the infinite patience to stick within those parameters. After batting in the series for more than the length of a full Test match, the Australians still had no idea how to rid themselves of the Pujara pestilence. In fact by the end of his lengthy vigil at the SCG, they probably had fewer ideas on how to conduct an ambush than when the series started out at the Adelaide Oval.

Kohli may have wished for him to score quicker when he was dropped at the start of the series against England but by the time Pujara wearily trudged off the SCG, I’ll bet the skipper wanted to give him a bear hug. In the other dressing room they’ll be wishing they never see Pujara again.

Other batsmen have scored more centuries and accumulated substantially more runs in a series but it’s doubtful if any player has had a greater influence over the result. If they had a Hall of Fame for batting obduracy, Pujara would be voted in unanimously.

SCG SALUTE

Despite booing Kohli on his entrance on day one, the SCG crowd has a deserved reputation for treating overseas players fairly. The prolonged standing ovation Pujara received even though he’d just put the nail in the coffin of an Australian side that was trying to rid itself of the ugly stain of Cape Town, was testament to the esteem with which the Indian batsman is held.

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Kohli may be the King of Indian cricket but Pujara has proven to be his loyal servant and worthy of many privileges in the kingdom.

And Pujara set the tone for some of the other promising Indian players. Rishabh Pant had displayed enormous talent with the bat early in the series but little discipline. However there were signs at the MCG that his approach was changing and by the time Kohli declared at the SCG, the ebullient wicket-keeper had completed his makeover.

There have been many good things happen for India in this series, not the least of them being victory and most have emanated from the stubborn defiance of Pujara.

(The author is a former Australian Test captain and is writing exclusively for Hindustan Times. Views are personal)

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