Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar believes that the team management has polluted Cheteshwar Pujara mind. In fact, Pujara played a hook shot at the stroke of lunch that found the hands of Adil Rashid. You don’t expect Pujara to go for the expensive shot especially when Lunch was three minutes away.
Meanwhile, Pujara has shelved this shot for six years and he hardly brings out the same. However, the Little Master believes that the think tank has asked Pujara to change his approach. Thus, Pujara is trying to play more aggressively which is not his style of play.
Cheteshwar Pujara is trying to sail in two boats.
“Pujara whose mind has been messed up by being told about his scoring rate went for a hook on the stroke of lunch and was caught at the deep square leg. That’s not his natural shot and just showed that when you try and tell a batsman to change his approach after he has got more than 4000 runs, it can be counter-productive. Pujara’s strength is occupying the crease, so that batsmen at the other end can play their shots around him”, Sunil Gavaskar wrote for the Times of India.
In fact, it is often seen that Pujara can get into a shell where he doesn’t look for run-scoring options. Thus, Virat Kohli had talked about showing intent in the middle of the South African tour.
Batting first is a blessing in disguise for India.
Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar believes India batting first could be a blessing in disguise. Sunny believes the pitch can provide assistance to Ravichandran Ashwin in the final innings.
“India losing the toss and being asked to bat first could well turn out to be a blessing in disguise for with the way the pitch has played the ball could turn for the team batting last and that won’t be easy to negotiate”.
On the other hand, Cheteshwar Pujara has looked to catch two rabbits at the same time. He needs to clear his mind and back his strength, which is working hard for his runs. Pujara cannot deliver what he doesn’t possess in his armoury and thus needs to come back strong.
