Cheteshwar Pujara: India’s knight in shining armour
Cheteshwar Pujara: India’s knight in shining armour
On October 13, 2010, India had a tricky chase in front of them at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. It was the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India were leading 1-0. Their target was 207, which was a bigger total than one would think given it was a Day Five track with the ball turning big. In its pursuit, India did not have the best of the starts, as Virender Sehwag fell for 7 with the score reading 17 for 1. With one wicket down, it was time for ‘The Wall’ to come in. READ: Cheteshwar Pujara lays to rest No. 3 debate for India in Tests with steely knock against South Africa in 1st Test
The Bengaluru crowd had just begun cheering for the arrival of their local boy Rahul Dravid, when they were caught off-guard. Instead of India’s perennial No. 3, they saw young boy walking towards the pitch. It was not that they did not recognise him, for they had seen him get out for a 2-ball 4 to a Mitchell Johnson shooter having come in at No. 5 in the first innings. What befuddled them was his elevation to the No. 3 spot ahead of their idol in what was the youngster’s debut. Given the way the match was poised, fans and cricket pundits alike felt it was a wrong move; but opinions do not matter in cricket.
Cheteshwar Pujara took guard for only the second time in his international career and started off smoothly. He negotiated the pace of Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus quite well, and when the off-spinner Nathan Hauritz arrived, he used his feet brilliantly and drove him through the gaps effortlessly. He fell to the same bowler eventually, but not before scoring a 72 off 89 balls on debut. He had played his part, and the formalities were completed by Sachin Tendulkar and Dravid. This was Pujara’s introduction to the world cricket; India’s new knight in the shining armour.
There were still a few tests awaiting him before that status could be confirmed. A knee injury during Indian Premier League (IPL) season 4 forced him to sit out from the Test team. That was frustrating because it had taken him years of hard work in the domestic circuit to reach there. But he returned in style. In only his fourth Test — and the first Test in the post-Dravid and VVS Laxman era — he scored a fluent 159 batting at No. 3 against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 2012. He made the position his own ever since.
More such special knocks followed. He hit his career’s first double ton against England the same year to set up another Indian victory. In the next match, in Mumbai, he stood tall amidst Indian batting ruins and managed to score 135. The fact that no other top-order batsman crossed 30 underlines the significance of that knock. Barely four months later, he scored his second double century, this time against Australia. Then came the second-innings 153 against South Africa at Johannesburg, an innings that almost won the game for India.
Pujara continued to excel and made himself a permanent fixture in the playing XI. It was not just the quantum of runs that he scored; his magnanimity also makes a difference. A selfless cricketer, Pujara has never shied away from the responsibility of opening the innings for India. Whenever the team has required it, he stepped into the openers’ shoes with distinction. In fact, he actually has a better record as opener than he does at No. 3. He first opened for India during the home series against England in the second innings at Ahmedabad. He then replaced the injured Shikhar Dhawan forthe fourth Test against Australia in 2013. Pujara’s scores as Test opener make for excellent viewing: 41 not out, 28, 52, and 82 not out, followed most recently by 145 not out, and 0; thus taking his average as opener to 116. READ: Statistical roundup of Cheteshwar Pujara and others carrying bat through completed Test innings
By now Pujara was an established part of India’s line-up, and the only one with an average of over 50; but the law of averages soon caught up with him and what followed was a torrid time in England and Australia. He had a slump in form which stretched to three series and 20 innings — where he averaged 24.15 — against quality attacks in testing conditions. He was not lucky enough to get a long rope, and when India had a change of guard in the Test format — Virat Kohli replaced MS Dhoni as skipper — Pujara found himself out of favour, as he did not fit into Kohli’s new 6-5 theory.
A dejected Pujara patiently waited for his chances. In the meantime, an IPL snub proved to be a blessing in disguise. He used the break to iron out his flaws in overseas conditions by signing up for a short-term contract with English County side Yorkshire. Pujara played four matches for the defending county champions, scoring 264 runs in six innings at an average of 52.80 with one century and a fifty. His performances there boosted his confidence and made him battle-ready for the upcoming season that had series lined up against Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and a tough home series against South Africa. READ: Pujara’s form for Yorkshire bodes well for India
He did not get a chance to play in the lone Test against Bangladesh, nor was he selected for the first two Tests against Sri Lanka. But injuries to regular openers meant Pujara had to wear his armour once again and step in as the make-shift opener in the third and final Test in Sri Lanka, which was also the series decider. He made the most of his opportunity by becoming only the fourth Indian to carry his bat through the innings. This was where he scored the epic 145 not out. Again, the second-best effort in India’s innings by a proper batsman was 26. His knock eventually proved to be a match-winning one, earning him the Man of the Match award.
This was a result of his perseverance, dedication and discipline. So focussed was he during his time out of the playing XI that he followed the same routine even as the team’s waterboy. He stayed positive and believed his career will be back on track. Even his idol and the man whose position he took in the team, Dravid, felt the same. “I don’t think there’s anything too wrong with Pujara’s game. Happens when you’re playing international cricket, that there are times when there is going to be a bit of ebb and flow, sometimes when runs don’t necessarily come.” Dravid, the India A coach, said on the sidelines of a match between India A and Australia A earlier this year. Pujara captained India A in that game and scored 55 and 42.
With his 145 against Sri Lanka at Colombo, Pujara turned over new leaf in his career. It was a knock that revitalised his career and when the South Africa series arrived, he was a sure starter. In the first Test at Mohali — played on a rank turner — Pujara shone yet again with his second-inning 77 on a tricky pitch. It was the lone half century in the Indian innings — again an effort that is a testament to his character. Thanks to his heroic act, India have taken a rare 1-0 lead in the series. His good form augurs well for the hosts, who look to stop the South African juggernaut. Pujara 2.0 has just begun, and hopefully India’s silent warrior will continue with his heroic efforts in the coming days as well. READ: India vs South Africa 2015, 1st Test at Mohali: 5 reasons the hosts triumphed
(A self-confessed cricket freak, Chinmay Jawalekar is a senior writer with CricLife and CricketCountry. When not writing or following cricket, he loves to read, eat and sleep. He can be followed here @CricfreakTweets)