Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara broke Joe Root’s record of facing the most balls against Australia in Test cricket in the past decade during Day 1 of the ongoing first Day-Night Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Adelaide Oval on Thursday (December 17).
In an era dominated by power-hitters, who can’t face more than 10 dot balls, Pujara is like a monk whose concentration never deters by his scores and the batsman has yet again shown exemplary patience against a relentless Australian attack on Thursday.
In the last Test series between the two cricketing powerhouses, Pujara was the key in India’s historic series win on Australian soil, facing more than 1200 balls for his 521 runs during the four Tests and this time also, he has already achieved a milestone in the first Test against Australia.
Well on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test, Pujara was looking set for yet another big score as he battled very patiently through the first session to help India recover from the early loss of wicket but eventually dismissed by Nathan Lyon after scoring 43 off 160 balls – for the 10th time by the Aussie spinner in Tests – most by any bowler in International cricket.
He even scored his first boundary on his 148th delivery against Australia in Adelaide. However, the right-hander might have missed his half-century but his gritty 160-ball 43 and a solid 68-run stand for the 3rd wicket with Virat Kohli brought Team India back into the game, as well as, earned him a huge milestone.
During the course of his 160-ball knock, Pujara took his tally of balls faced against Australia to 3,609, deliveries against Australia since January 2011, overtaking England captain Joe Root (3607), to become the batsman to face most balls in Test cricket against Australia in the past decade.
He also achieved the feat in just 28 innings against Australia. Other cricketers who faced most balls against Australia are Root who took 46 innings, Virat Kohli 3,115 balls (35 innings), Alastair Cook played 3,274 deliveries (40 innings), and AB de Villiers 2300 balls in 23 innings.
(With Hindustan Times Inputs)
