Published: Apr 06, 2013, 04:01 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 08:58 PM (IST)
In the last few months, Cheteshwar Pujara has been India’s best batsman in Test cricket © PTI
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Selection in Indian cricket never ceases to baffle the logical. As India announced their 30 probables for the ICC Champions Trophy 2013, the exclusion of Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan grabbed headlines. While their axing was somewhat expected given their recent struggles, the absence of the prolific Cheteshwar Pujara from the list is an absolute shocker. It is yet another case where the selectors have overlooked the weight of numbers and the merits of a case to take their own cue.
In the last few months, Pujara has been India’s best batsman in Test cricket. During the series against Australia, Pujara stood out with his dominant displays that stunned the tourists. His double hundred in particular was an example of how he could play two contrasting roles. The fall of an early wicket led him to adopt a cautious approach, but he accelerated as the innings progressed and was dominating the bowling. On a difficult wicket at Delhi, he was free scoring and was easily the best batsman on show. However, his record in List A cricket is also phenomenal and his attacking knocks in the recent past have given ample evidence of his pacy run-scoring abilities.
Pujara’s last one-day assignment in domestic cricket was the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy in October 2012. It was a tournament in which Pujara stamped his authority with two hundreds and a fifty in three matches. In 61 List A matches, he averages a magnificent 56.97 — a figure that highlights his consistency. Even in his early days, he had a penchant for scoring runs in heaps. In the ICC Under-19 World Cup 2006, which was a one-day event, Pujara finished as the highest run-scorer.
In January 2013, Pujara was picked for the One-Day International (ODI) series against England following some fantastic performances in domestic cricket. In one particular game against Madhya Pradesh, he scored a magnificent double hundred that caught the eyes of the selectors and facilitated his selection. What was special about that knock was that he moved from 150 to 200 in only 17 deliveries.
Considering all the facts presented, the question is: How can the selectors leave out a prolific run-scorer who was in India’s last one-day squad? Pujara wasn’t even given an opportunity to don the blues against England and then he is axed with the weight of runs behind him. In the absence of an explanation from the selectors, it is an unacceptable decision as India are leaving out an in-form player who can add tremendous solidity to the line-up. Currently, he is injured and has been ruled out of action for a few weeks, but merited a place in the 30 man list.
A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source said that they are working out the dates for an India A tour to South Africa. Pujara may lead that side or even be chosen for the Champions Trophy if that sojourn doesn’t happen during the same time. Pragyan Ojha is another player who has apparently been left out with a similar view. The teams can choose players even outside their probables, the report said. If that is the case, then there should have been a clear explanation during the announcement. They aren’t sending across a very positive message by keeping quiet about it. The other thing they could have done is kept him in the 30-man list and continued to chalk out a plan for the South Africa tour. After all, players from outside the list can also be chosen for the final squad isn’t it?
In the day and age where flamboyance often trumps substance, the classical Pujara has perhaps been labelled as a player for the longer version. These stereotypes are dangerous as they eclipse some powerful facts that strengthen a player’s case. He may not have Virat Kohli’s swagger or Suresh Raina’s audacity, but can hold the batting together at a time when the Indian team requires solidity.
Pujara is compared to Rahul Dravid because of his fantastic technique and a monk-like approach to batting. Dravid, one of India’s greatest batsmen was also made out to be a Test batsman, but eventually ended up with over 10,000 ODI runs. He moved past his initial struggles to blossom into a consistent performer who rose to the occasion whenever India were in a muddle. In the middle-order, he was that unfailing dependable force that assured the side in the face of a crisis. Going by the temperament he has shown in Test cricket, Pujara is cut out for a similar role.
Such inconsistent selection calls aren’t new to Indian cricket and have in fact been prevalent in the recent past. Take the case of Manoj Tiwary — a man who has scored runs whenever the opportunity came his way and yet warms the bench for months. Is Indian cricket too rich that it can afford benching the likes of Tiwary and Pujara?
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with CricketCountry and an analyst, anchor and voice-over artist for the site’s YouTube Channel. He shot to fame by spotting a wrong replay during IPL4 which resulted in Sachin Tendulkar’s dismissal. His insights on the game have come in for high praise from cerebral former cricketers. He has also participated on live TV talk-shows on cricket. Nishad can be followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/nishad_44)
