1st Test: Cheteshwar Pujara breaks five-year-old jinx during charismatic 123
Cheteshwar Pujara's calm approach after top-order debacle took India to a respectable situation on Day 1 in Adelaide. The visitors were troubled by the Aussie pace trio and could manage only 250 for the loss of nine wickets at the end of the day with centurion Pujara back to the pavilion. The talismanic batsman, who is famous for his grounded shots and hard-fought running between the wickets broke an almost five-year-old jinx and hit his second six of the Test career outside the Asian sub-continent.
The No.6 ranked Test batsman has hit only 11 sixes in his 8-year-long prolific career and the last six he hit outside Asia was against New Zealand in 2014.
Pujara took over Josh Hazlewood in the 84th over to hit the maximum and later he smashed Mitchell Starc for his second six of the innings.
The Rajkot-born batsman's charismatic innings came to an end by a spectacular throw by Pat Cummins on 123.
Earlier, skipper Virat Kohli opted to bat in ideal conditions but the top-order once again failed to apply themselves against the potent pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
Anything close to 250 looked a mountain to climb with India reeling at 56 for four at lunch. But Pujara stood tall amid the ruins to save India from embarrassment on way to his 16th Test ton. His fighting effort was studded with seven fours and two sixes.
The 30-year-old put on two crucial partnerships with the lower-order batsmen to ensure India give their bowlers something to bowl at.
Post-tea, Pujara added 62 runs with R Ashwin (25) for the seventh wicket. The latter played watchfully, unlike the Indian top-order, and played a great role in this minor recovery.
