India vs Australia 2017: Focus Has Shifted Away From Game, Which Shouldn’t Have Happened, Says Cheteshwar Pujara

Mar 23, 2017 at 5:00 PM

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India vs Australia 2017: Focus Has Shifted Away From Game, Which Shouldn’t Have Happened, Says Cheteshwar Pujara

Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s highest run-scorer in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy so far, has said the unnecessary attention which is being given to off-field events is decreasing the value of the ongoing series and that the ‘Trump’ comments aimed at Virat Kohli by Australian media were tasteless and saddening.

“I think it’s really sad to hear such comments. We fully support Virat and he is one of the great ambassadors of this game,” Pujara said.

Pujara was the top performer in the third Test between both teams. The right-hander registered a record-breaking double ton to help India come close to gaining a 2-1 lead in the series. Skipper Steven Smith also hit a brilliant century while Jadeja snapped a nine-wicket match haul. However, Virat Kohli’s aggressive nature hasn’t gone down too well with the Australian media, who have tried to tarnish his image on a couple of occasions.

“I think the focus has shifted somewhere else, which shouldn’t have happened. We are very much focussed on the game. He is a great leader and so we are fully supporting him. We are looking forward to the next game rather than worrying about anything else,” said Pujara.

India and Australia are now preparing to face each other in fourth and the final Test at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala. Thus far, the series has been a closely fought affair with both sides looking for the series win. The opening Test saw Australia thrashing the hosts. In the second Test at Bengaluru, the hosts snapped back with a series-leveling win.

However, it was from there all the tension began to crop up after Kohli criticised Smith for seeking unfair advantage from the dressing room while consulting his partner for a DRS review. The Australian skipper went on to accept the fact but things did not settle down as Kohli was again irked with Glenn Maxwell’s act and later on by Smith’s alleged disrespect towards team India physio Patrick Farhart.

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