Pujara scores a gritty 50
Highlights
- Pujara scored 66 off 168 deliveries
- He hit 8 boundaries in his innings
Edgbaston| There is a reason that Test cricket is called the purest form of the sport. It sets up the players against unprecendented challenge and puts their technique and temprament on the radar. Without any grain of doubt, T20I is extremely fast but the longest format of the game is something that every cricketer wants to excel it.
One of India's mainstay, Cheteshwar Pujara is the perfect embodiment of what a Test match batsman should look like. He is old school and is like a Kryptonite to a lot of bowlers who play the format. In what has been a bizarre year for India's no.3, Pujara was dropped from the team soon after his dismal run in the South African tour. However, a gritty Pujara took the onus upon himself to change things for himself as he joined Sussex to regain his old form back.
While the other Indian greats were busy playing the star-studded Indian Premier League, Pujara was busy playing Test cricket and preparing himself for the last Test match of the series to be played against England. Pujara scored heaps of runs for Sussex and regained his place back in the Test team.
With Rohit Sharma down with COVID-19 and ruled out of the final clash, Pujara opened the batting alongside Shubhman Gill and was up against the likes of Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Matthew Potts. Pujara could not contribute any significant amount to the first innings, but he stood up when it was required the most. India secured a lead of 132 runs but England ruined India's party as they scalped three quick wickets in the form of Shubhman Gill, Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli which broke India's spine.
Pujara on the other hand stood tall, displayed great technique and patience and scored a gritty half century which helped India take a respectable lead over England.
England Playing XI: Alex Lees, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Sam Billings, Matty Potts, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, James Anderson
India Playing XI: Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah
