Out-of-favour Indian batsman Hanuma Vihari believes Cheteshwar Pujara will be a big flop for India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Hanuma Vihari said Cheteshwar Pujara was crucial in India’s last two Test series in Australia and added that he was the backbone of the batting line-up.
Pujara was instrumental in India’s two previous Test series wins in Australia. He scored 521 runs during the 2018-19 series and 271 runs in 2020-21. Pujara was named Player of the Series in 2018-19. The right-handed batsman scored three half-centuries in India’s 2-1 win in the 2020-21 series.
Cheteshwar faced 1258 balls against the Australian bowling attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc during the 2018-19 series. Pujara suffered several body blows during a 211-ball innings in the fourth Test in Brisbane in 2021, and his knock helped India chase down the target.
Cheteshwar Pujara will be a great lady – Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari expressed concern over the impact of Cheteshwar Pujara’s absence on India’s chances in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Vihari highlighted how Pujara supported his teammates by laying a solid foundation for runs.
“Pujara will be a big loss. He was the backbone of the batting line-up in the last two series for team India. He took hits, batted for long, stayed there for long, saw the new ball, got runs. He did the job easier for the other batsmen coming in,” Vihari told PTI in an interaction organized by JioCinema.
Who will play is a question mark – Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari questioned who will take up the crucial role of anchoring India’s batting line-up in the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara. Vihari said the current top six batsmen tend to take an aggressive approach. He stressed that batting successfully in Australia is a matter of time.
“So that kind of role… who will play is a question mark for me. Currently, I would say we have an attacking mode of a batting lineup (top six). Everyone likes to play their shots. Virat is the only One I feel in that batting line-up who can be like a glue for the other hitters.”
“He can stay and bat as many overs as possible and you know batting in Australia is a matter of time. If you get rid of the new ball, it becomes a bit easier with the older Kookaburra ball,” Vihari added.
Pujara has been absent from the Test team for over a year. He last played for India in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia. The right-handed batsman scored just 14 runs in the first innings and managed 27 runs in the second during the summit clash at The Oval in June 2023.
Pujara made his debut for India in Test cricket in 2010 against Australia at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The veteran cricketer has played 103 Tests for India, scoring 7,195 runs at an average of 43.61. He has hit 35 half-centuries and 19 centuries, with a best score of 206 runs.
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