Australia’s premier pacer Pat Cummins dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara for the fourth time in Sydney Test. He has sent back Pujara earlier three times in the first two Tests. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has stated that Cummins has exposed a recent flaw in India’s number three batsman.
Cheteshwar Pujara consumed 176 balls to score his first fifty of the series which brought him under scrutiny. Well, the Test specialist is known to tearaway bowlers with his dogged mindset and the longer stay in the field.
But many have been disappointed that he hasn’t been able to convert his knock into the big one. And, the credit for his early departure is being given to Australia’s bowling machine Pat Cummins.
Aakash Chopra explains why Cheteshwar Pujara has given away his wicket to Pat Cummins:
While talking to ESPNCricinfo, Aakash Chopra observed that Pujara’s back leg has been stationed at one position and is not moving at all. As a result, he is either getting the edge of the gloves or bat.
“Four out of five times he has been dismissed by Pat Cummins where three of the dismissals have been almost identical where he is rooted on the crease. These balls are not the balls where you can go forward. But if you can’t go forward, you have to go backward. Use that four and half feet of crease depth and get right the bounce a little bit where Pujara is right now.”
And, those three dismissals are just cut, copy and paste where Pujara’s back leg is rooted on the popping crease, it doesn’t go anywhere. He tries to fend it but finds either the edge of the gloves….. So, there is one flaw that is coming to the fore which is the back leg not moving at all and committing yourself either on the front foot or on the crease,” Aakash Chopra said to ESPNCricinfo.
Talking about the Sydney Test, Australia has the upper hand as they are leading by 197 runs at the loss of only two wickets. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith– the two batsmen of Aussie are still on the crease and will look to score big on day four.