The last time Pujara played a Test for India was in 2023 during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia
On his YouTube channel, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra expressed that the current Indian team is lacking the defensive approach that Cheteshwar Pujara provides. This comes after India lost the second Test against New Zealand in Pune by 113 runs, which also meant they lost the series after going down 2-0 with one Test left to play.
Chopra raised concerns about Pujara’s absence, highlighting how Pujara’s calm and defensive style has often been crucial for India during tough times. He also pointed out that the present side does not have the stamina to sit back under pressure and deliver some hard sessions.
“Are we missing Pujara? It’s a big question actually. As a player, you might say that he would score these many runs and others would also score as many runs, so are you missing him that much? Maybe not, because at some stage you have to move beyond everyone. So you left Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in such a scenario,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
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Chopra emphasized that while the team has shifted to a more aggressive style of play, he is unsure if this is the best strategy for Test cricket. Chopra noted that with players like Shubman Gill at no.3 and Rishabh Pant moving up the batting order, the team dynamics have shifted significantly. He pointed out that while change is natural, the current squad lacks a player like Cheteshwar Pujara, who could adopt a different approach.
“You got Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant started playing at No. 5. So things changed a lot. Change is the rule of nature but one thing is definitely missing. No one in this team can do what Cheteshwar Pujara used to do. Everyone plays the same brand of cricket, that they would attack and play aggressive cricket, and have nothing to do with a draw as they play like this only. That does not work,” Chopra added.
He added that although Pujara’s style of play is often seen as slow or unexciting, it was crucial in helping the team stay united during challenging times. Chopra also emphasized that Pujara’s presence was valuable to the team, even when he wasn’t making big scores.
“It will happen repeatedly in Test cricket that you will be asked to play a session where a wicket shouldn’t fall. You need to keep your head down and defend. There is a battle of attrition at times. Cheteshwar Pujara’s defensive cricket, that brand of cricket which is non-glamorous, hard-working, staying at the wicket from morning to evening, we are missing that brand of cricket, and we are repeatedly seeing the result of that in collapses,” Chopra stated.
“You need a guy to stand there to stop collapses even if the scoreboard moves or not. He keeps delaying the game. The bowlers get tired and the ball gets old and soft, and the others score runs. India is of course missing that game style of Pujara,” he added.
Pujara is currently playing in the Ranji Trophy for Saurashtra, scoring 252 runs in three matches, including a remarkable double century. In his international career for India, he has played 103 matches, amassing 7,195 runs, which includes 19 centuries and 35 half-centuries. The last time Pujara played a Test for India was in 2023 during the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, after which he was dropped from the team.
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