Aakash Chopra, a former Test batsman has described James Anderson’s delivery to get rid of Cheteshwar Pujara on Day 2 in Nottingham as a very good one. Aakash Chopra, however, pointed out that India No. 3 seems to be getting too many of such seemingly ‘unplayable’ balls.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s poor run in Test cricket continued as he was dismissed for 4 off 16 balls. A superb delivery from James Anderson pitched around off-stump and then moved away, taking the edge of Cheteshwar Pujara’s bat.
Aakash Chopra On Cheteshwar Pujara:
Reflecting on the struggling Indian batter’s wicket, Aakash Chopra opined that Cheteshwar Pujara must figure out whether he is genuinely unlucky or if he is allowing the bowlers to come up with such unplayable deliveries.
Aakash Chopra explained: “James Anderson sent back Cheteshwar Pujara with a very good delivery. There is no shame in getting out to good deliveries but the problem here is that Pujara is getting too many of them.
“That is something that will be playing on his mind. Questions like – why is this happening with me? Am I allowing the good balls to happen or is there something like I am just unfortunate? That is the question that Pujara has to answer.”
Cheteshwar Pujara’s dismissal was followed by that of Indian captain Virat Kohli’s very next ball. Analyzing Virat Kohli’s dismissal, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the Indian skipper had been leaving balls outside the off-stump in 2018 but this time fell into the trap of 2014 when James Anderson had the wood on him.
The former India opener Aakash Chopra elaborated: “In 2018, Virat Kohli was not dismissed by Anderson even once. He was leaving balls outside the off-stump but this time he nicked the first delivery behind the stumps to make it two wickets in two balls for Anderson. The wickets of Pujara and Kohli changed the game completely. Both wicket-taking balls were really good. But the ball that got Kohli out was a regulation Test match delivery.”
The 39-year-old James Anderson (13.4-7-15-2) swung it in England’s favour with successive precision deliveries that got Cheteshwar Pujara (4) and Virat Kohli (0) as India from 97 for no loss slumped to 112 for four within six overs.
The in-form KL Rahul (57 batting off 151 balls) is still standing tall amid ruins alongside Rishabh Pant (7 batting) but the advantage that India got in the opening session was neutralized by James Anderson’s spell and the pressure also led to an unfortunate run-out of Ajinkya Rahane (5).
Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli’s Form Is Concerning
Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli’s constant failures are a definite cause of worry for India now. Since the start of 2020, Cheteshwar Pujara has featured in 12 Tests (including the ongoing Nottingham Test) and has only managed 531 runs at an average of under 26.
In the same period, Virat Kohli has scored just 345 runs in nine Tests at an average of 23. While Cheteshwar Pujara’s last Test hundred came in January 2019 in Sydney, Virat Kohli last reached three figures in the same year in November, during the Day-Night Test in Kolkata against Bangladesh.
Cheteshwar Pujara had a dismal outing in the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) against New Zealand. He scored eight runs off 54 balls in the first innings and following that with 15 off 80 deliveries in the second innings. Cheteshwar Pujara last scored a century in the 2019 Sydney Test against Australia. In the 18 Tests he has played since then, the India No.3 has scored 841 runs at an underwhelming average of 28.03.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s strike rate is bothering him and India. In the last few series starting with the New Zealand tour in 2020, his strike rate was 28.49 (India vs New Zealand 2020), 29.2 (India vs Australia 2020/21), 40.06 (India vs England 2021), and 17.16 (WTC Final). His career strike rate is 44.64 and his Test average is 46.08. In 2020, his average was only 20.38, and 30.33 in 2021.