NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes India are lacking the regular affect of Cheteshwar Pujara of their Take a look at lineup following their second consecutive defeat to New Zealand. India misplaced the second Take a look at in Pune by 113 runs, leading to a 0-2 collection scoreline and marking their first residence collection defeat since 2012.
Chopra raised questions in regards to the absence of Pujara, recognized for his affected person and defensive model of play, which had typically been a spine for India in troublesome circumstances. He identified that the present Indian lineup lacks the flexibility to grind out classes and handle durations of intense stress.
“Are we lacking Pujara? It is a large query really,” Chopra stated in his YouTube channel. “As a participant, you would possibly say that he would rating these many runs and others would additionally rating as many runs, so are you lacking him that a lot? Perhaps not, as a result of at some stage it’s important to transfer past everybody. So that you left Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in such a state of affairs.”Chopra highlighted how the crew has tailored to enjoying aggressively however questioned whether or not it’s the proper method for Take a look at cricket. “You bought Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant began enjoying at No. 5. So issues modified so much. Change is the rule of nature however one factor is certainly lacking. Nobody on this crew is ready to do what Cheteshwar Pujara used to do. Everybody performs the identical model of cricket, that they’d assault and play aggressive cricket, and don’t have anything to do with a draw as they play like this solely. That doesn’t work,” Chopra added.
He additional defined that Pujara’s model of play, whereas typically criticized for being gradual or unglamorous, performed a vital position in holding the crew collectively throughout troublesome classes. “It should occur repeatedly in Take a look at cricket that you’ll be requested to play a session the place a wicket should not fall. You must preserve your head down and defend. There’s a battle of attrition at occasions. Cheteshwar Pujara’s defensive cricket, that model of cricket which is non-glamorous, hard-working, staying on the wicket from morning to night, we’re lacking that model of cricket, and we’re repeatedly seeing the results of that in collapses.”
Chopra additionally harassed how Pujara’s presence benefited the crew even when he wasn’t scoring closely. “You want a man to face there to cease collapses even when the scoreboard strikes or not. He retains delaying the sport. The bowlers get drained and the ball will get previous and delicate, and the others rating runs. India are in fact lacking that recreation model of Pujara.”
