'It was like 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and then a wicket': Steyn says Pujara could have 'rotated strike' better

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn feels India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara could have played a little more freely and rotated the strike better on Day 2 of World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand.

South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn feels India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara could have played a little more freely and rotated strike better on Day 2 of World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. Pujara scored 8 off 54 balls, with a couple of boundaries being his only two scoring shots. India's No. 3, who has been at the centre of the strike-rate debate for his style of batting, got off the mark after 36 balls, when he square cut Neil Wager for a four.

Neil Wagner checks on Cheteshwar Pujara after the batsman was hit on his helmet. (Getty Images)

Pujara hit a second boundary off the very next ball he faced before playing out another series of dot balls, and was eventually out LBW to Trent Boult. Steyn reckons Pujara would have realised after his dismissal that there were more scoring opportunities available which he could have capitalized on in order to keep the score moving.

"You want to see somebody like Pujara. Now he faced 50 balls and we know that this is kind of player that he is. But I'm sure if he looked back and looked at the sample of video analysis, he would find that there are deliveries there where he could have created the opportunity to maybe rotate a little bit more strike. I saw something come up and it was like 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 4, 4, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and then a wicket. I'm sure in all those 50 balls, he could have rotated strike and just gotten that scoring to nudge on a little bit for himself and as well as his team." Steyn said on ESPNCricinfo.

Citing Pujara's example, Steyn feels India's batsmen should not get bogged down and try and rotate strike as much as possible when play resumed on Day 3. India finished the second day on 146/3 and the South Africa quick feels it is crucial for India to not throw away the advantage they gained by putting up a solid batting performance.

"India would be happy that they haven’t lost as many wicket but they want to be able to keep that scoreboard ticking and keep that rotation going. These are clichés of the game but they all do matter," added Steyn.