India vs Australia: ‘If you do that, your team will face consequences’ - Ojha on Pujara’s innings

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also wasn’t happy with Pujara’s slow batting at the SCG as he commented that ‘cricket has changed’ and batsmen have to maintain a certain pace.

Even though Cheteshwar Pujara was the top-scorer for India in the first innings of the third Test match against Australia in Sydney, he still has faced some flak. Pujara scored 50 runs in 176 balls at the Sydney Cricket Ground to frustrate the Aussies. But even though his innings was helpful for India to reach the score of 244, Pujara has been criticised by former cricketers for his strike rate and lack of intent.

India's Cheteshwar Pujara is hit while batting during play on day three of the third cricket test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021. (AP)

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also wasn’t happy with Pujara’s slow batting at the SCG as he commented that ‘cricket has changed’ and batsmen have to maintain a certain pace.

"The way Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill were playing on Day 2, 70 for no loss. I think, in that evening session, it became so slow and we lost the momentum. After that today, Australians came with a very good plan. They were looking to make us uncomfortable mentally with those bouncers. They were able to do that successfully," Pragyan Ojha told Sports Today.

"Cheteshwar Pujara, being the most senior member of the side, it's important, he shows that intent. He was the one who inspired us to win the 2018 series. But now, everybody is questioning his intent. You can't bat so slow, cricket has changed.

"You're playing a Test match, people are batting at a certain strike rate. That's what you have to maintain. YOu have to maintain that pace, you can't go below that pace. If you do that, your team will face consequences. That's what India had to go through sadly."

Pujara was also criticised by former Australian skippers Allan Border and Ricky Ponting. While Ponting did not like Pujara’s approach during the innings, Border said that it felt that the Indian batsman was scared to play a shot.