Ashish Nehra, former Indian pacer was highly impressed with Cheteshwar Pujara’s aggressive batting approach towards the end of Day 2 of the Johannesburg Test against South Africa.
Having restricted the Proteas’ first-innings lead to 27, India found themselves in early trouble in the second innings, losing both their openers cheaply. Under pressure following three low scores, Cheteshwar Pujara came in and took on the South African bowlers, who offered him a few boundary balls.
Ashish Nehra: Cheteshwar Pujara Came Out With An Aggressive Mindset
The India No. 3 middle-order out-of-form batsman ended the day on 35* off 42 balls, an innings punctuated with seven fours, as the visitors gained a lead of 58 by Stumps with eight wickets in hand.
Praising Pujara’s positive batting, Ashish Nehra said: “Pujara took full advantage of the bad bowling and came out with an aggressive mindset today (Tuesday). It is not like he drove balls from outside the fifth or sixth stump. He looked in the zone today.”
Ashish Nehra added about Pujara’s knock on Tuesday: “Often in the past, he has defended half-volleys. That’s just the way he plays but today he took advantage of such deliveries. Considering the pitch, he seemed to have come in with the game plan that if the ball was there to hit, he would go after it. It was good to see that and Ajinkya Rahane also backed him well.”
India ended Day 2 of the Wanderers Test at 85 for 2, with under-fire another out-of-form batsman Ajinkya Rahane (11) giving company to Cheteshwar Pujara.
The under-fire duo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane failed once again in the 1st innings, scoring 3 (33) and 0 (1) respectively on Day 1 of the second Test in Johannesburg, so it’s their last chance to turn it around and silence critics in the 2nd innings. Ajinkya Rahane has scored just 1 hundred since October 2019 and his career average fell below 40 after the repeated failures, while Cheteshwar Pujara hasn’t hit a century since January 2019.
Ashish Nehra: A Lot Of Credit Goes To Marco Jansen For KL Rahul’s Dismissal
Before Cheteshwar Pujara’s counter-attack, rookie South African left-arm pacer Marco Jansen dealt India a big blow by sending back in-form stand-in skipper KL Rahul (8). Duanne Olivier also chipped in by accounting for Mayank Agarwal (23). Ashish Nehra was particularly impressed with the way Marco Jansen set up KL Rahul and eventually dismissed him.
Praising the youngster, Nehra said: “Apart from the pitch factor, a lot of credit for KL Rahul’s dismissal should go to the bowler. If you look at the deliveries that Marco Jansen bowled before getting Rahul out, there was not a single loose ball and the bowler had tied up the batter. When you bowl that probing length, any batter will find himself in trouble. With the bounce he is getting, especially under these conditions, he becomes even more dangerous. Rahul got out to a good ball.”
Ashish Nehra, a former left-arm seamer himself, agreed that Marco Jansen could be a threat to India’s batters on Day 3 if he maintains good line and lengths.
He explained: “Anyone who bowls well on this pitch can cause trouble. But, considering the extra bounce that Jansen gets, he is definitely a threat for India. He is still only in his second Test and his impressive performances prove that he has the skills and ability.”
Concluding his thoughts on Jansen and South Africa, Nehra added: “There is movement in the surface as well, which is aiding the bowlers. But Jansen and the other South African bowlers will have to display patience and discipline.”
Marco Jansen has claimed five wickets in the Test so far apart from contributing a crucial 21 with the bat in South Africa’s first innings. In the 1st innings, Marco Jansen (4/31), Kagiso Rabada (3/64), and Duanne Olivier (3/64) were outstanding as they picked up wickets at regular intervals to not allow the tourists to get into any rhythm.
India’s stand-in captain KL Rahul top-scored with a knock of 50, but it was Ravichandran Ashwin’s attacking 46 that helped India to 202, before being bowled out in the 1st innings.