India's Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara revealed how sledging backfired Australia during the 2017 Bengaluru Test.
With cricket action coming to a halt, the players are taking it to social media to talk to fellow cricketers as well as fans. On Wednesday, India's Test specialist batsman Cheteshwar Pujara sat down for a conversation with fellow teammate Ravichandran Ashwin for the latter's Instagram live series, #ReminisceWithAsh.
Pujara recalled the Bengaluru Test during the India-Australia Test series in 2017, which is considered as one of the most competitive series between the two sides. After Australia won the first Test, India made a memorable comeback to win the series 2-1.
India were justifiably under pressure ahead of the second Test, as the side had faced a humbling 333-run loss in Pune. The home team didn't go off to a good start in the Bengaluru Test either, as Aussies bundled them out on 189.
The visitors then took an 87-run lead, courtesy strong batting performances from Shaun Marsh and Matt Renshaw. In the second innings, India were looking relatively weaker after losing four wickets for 120 runs.
However, Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane then added 118-runs for the sixth wicket, turning the match in India's favour. With 178 needed to win, India bowled Australia out for 112, thanks to Ashwin's six-fer.
Recalling the Test, Pujara revealed that he was under considerable pressure.
"For me I think the first Test match... when we lost, all of us sat together and had a chat. In a 4-Test series, it's always difficult to make a comeback after being 1-0 down," Pujara said.
"In the 1st innings (Bengaluru Test), we didn't bat well. So when I was walking into it, I felt a lot of pressure. But after the 1st innings, Anil bhai (Kumble) had a chat with me on how to tackle Nathan Lyon. I went to the NCA and worked on a few things which helped me.
"But I felt pressure when I walked into bat (2nd innings). The kind of sledging they did... I thought they were a little ahead of what they wanted to achieve. Their thought process was... they felt they had already won the game.
"By Tea time, I was with Ajinkya (Rahane), we were coming into the dressing room and they were sledging as if they had won the game. That is when things did turn around, I felt."
While the third Test of the series ended in a draw, India won the fourth game in Dharamsala to seal the series.
