I’ll never drop Cheteshwar Pujara from my ODI team: Former India spinner Dilip Doshi

Dilip Doshi said it is unfortunate that people at times call such a high-class batsman like Pujara ‘too slow’. “It hurts me when people call a high-class batsman such Cheteshwar Pujara as too slow,” Doshi said.

Cheteshwar Pujara might have played just five ODIs since making his debut in 2013 but former India left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi says he would never drop someone as solid as Pujara from his ODI team.

Doshi said he would simply ask Pujara to hold one end up and bat till the end of the innings.

“I will not drop a guy like Pujara from my ODI team. I will ask him to hold one end and keep on batting till the 50th over and I think he is quite capable of it,” said Doshi in a chat with Playwrite Foundation.

Along with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, Pujara is India’s mainstay in Test cricket. His solidity and consistency at No.3 gives India the right balance especially when they tour overseas.

Doshi said it is unfortunate that people at times call such a high-class batsman like Pujara ‘too slow’. “It hurts me when people call a high-class batsman such Cheteshwar Pujara as too slow,” Doshi added.

Doshi who played 33 Tests and 15 ODIs for India, said Test cricket will always remain the real challenge for cricketers.

“The emergence of T20 cricket has changed the game completely. I believe every good club cricketer can perform in T20 cricket. For me, Test cricket is a broader canvas. I think it is the lack of application among the modern-day batsmen and that’s the reason they struggle against quality spinners,” said Doshi.

When asked to give a word of advice to young spinners, Doshi said: “I will encourage youngsters to keep tossing the ball and don’t get disheartened of punishment. For batsmen, runs are like supply of oxygen, so just don’t give them the easy runs, try and suffocate them.”