Cheteshwar Pujara, Indian batting mainstay on Saturday said that the delivery from Australian pacer Pat Cummins that dismissed him is one of the best balls bowled in the ongoing series.
Criticized for his slow approach at the crease, India’s number three batsman added that he needs to go about his job in the manner he knows.
Cheteshwar Pujara: Sometimes Pat Cummins Bowled Some Unplayable Deliveries
Nathan Lyon have dismissed him 10 times in 30 innings while Pat Cummins has dismissed him 5 times in 15 innings. England’s James Anderson had dismissed him 7 times in 30 innings.
“We are trying our best, but sometimes Pat Cummins has a better idea, sometimes he was bowled some of the unplayable deliveries, for example, the ball which I got, if there was any other batter, I felt that was the best ball of this series, sometimes you have to accept it, we are trying our best as a batting unit. It is not just about him, it is important to bat well as a unit,” said Pujara while replying to an ANI query during the virtual press conference.
“I have got out against him four times but some of them were really good balls, we need to respect that, overall I am confident about my batting, I would rather focus on the things I need to as a batsman rather than put too much pressure on him getting me out. The way I was batting today, I was really confident.”
“The way I got out today, I have to accept that. I could not have done anything better, I would rather focus on the things I need to do as a batsman. I just have to bat in the manner I know to bat, even as a batting unit, you need to build partnerships and bat well as a unit,” he added.
Cheteshwar Pujara who registered his slowest fifty in Test cricket on 3rd day of the third Test was sent back to the pavilion almost immediately after scoring his 50. Pat Cummins, who bothered the visitors from the very start and picked 4 wickets, got Cheteshwar Pujara’s crucial wicket along with Shubman Gill, Ajinkya Rahane and Mohammed Siraj. Shubman Gill had also scored 50.
The Indian number three played 176 balls and managed to score just 50 runs at a below-par strike-rate of 28.41. This was the fourth time that Pat Cummins dismissed Cheteshwar Pujara in the ongoing series.
Cheteshwar Pujara’s Approach Criticized By Ricky Ponting
Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting on Saturday said that Cheteshwar Pujara’s approach was not right and his approach put more pressure on other Indian batsmen.
“I don’t think it was the right approach, I think he needed to be a bit more proactive with his scoring rate because I felt it was putting too much pressure on his batting partners,” Ponting tweeted.
India’s middle and lower-order failed to deliver and the visitors were bowled out for 244 in the second session on day three of the third Test against Australia on Saturday despite being well placed on 195/4 at one stage. Australia has now taken a 197-run lead over the visitors after the day’s play ended with Australia at 103/2 losing David Warner and Will Pucovski while Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith are still at the crease.