Cheteshwar Pujara’s grand show of Test batsmanship at Adelaide has brought India out of a precarious situation on the first day of the first Test and that has led to some serious praise for the India number three.
Leading the list of Pujara’s admirers is Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who was all praise for the Saurashtra batsman’s gritty performance. “It was a gritty innings from @cheteshwar1 under the circumstances. Congratulations to you on your brilliant century. Looking forward to many more knocks like this in the series,” Tendulkar wrote on Twitter.
One batsman who knows all about playing gritty knocks with his back to the wall is VVS Laxman, who played several such innings during his career and bailed India out of difficult situations. Laxman too heaped praise on Pujara. “A display of tremendous resilience , grit and fight from @cheteshwar1 Pujara. A really special innings. India need to bowl well and not let Australia get away with a big lead,” Laxman wrote on Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}One batsman who knows all about playing gritty knocks with his back to the wall is VVS Laxman, who played several such innings during his career and bailed India out of difficult situations. Laxman too heaped praise on Pujara. “A display of tremendous resilience , grit and fight from @cheteshwar1 Pujara. A really special innings. India need to bowl well and not let Australia get away with a big lead,” Laxman wrote on Twitter.
{{/usCountry}}Former India opener Virender Sehwag called Pujara a sage because of his ability to concentrate even when wickets are falling all around him.
India’s third most successful Test bowler Harbhajan Singh kept it short while praising Pujara, “Pujara you beauty!”
There was praise coming from the Australian quarter as well as the likes of Shane Warne and Michael Clarke congratulated India’s marathon man on his maiden Test ton on Australian soil
Former Indian cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar praised Pujara for his ability to hold back his attacking instincts and go after the bowling only when the need arises, while Aakash Chopra too weighed in on the majestic ton.
Pujara completed 5000 Test runs and 14000 first-class runs during his knock. His average against Australia in Test matches is now better than that of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.