Cheteshwar Pujara may not have replicated his performance of the 2018-19 Australia tour on the recent one in 2020-21, but he made sure, he made a significant contribution to the team’s winning cause in a different way.
In 2018-19, Pujara had scored over 500 runs with 3 centuries as India recorded its maiden Test series win in Australia. But this time the situation was different, as India was ravaged by injuries and captain Virat Kohli left for home on parental leave. This meant Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were the most experienced players and batsmen left in the team.
Pujara might have scored just over 250 runs in this series, but most valuable for India was that he consumed 980 balls to do so. Though R Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari, along with Rishabh Pant are credited for India’s amazing draw in SCG, it was Pujara’s 77 in 205 balls that gave Pant the freedom to let loose.
Similarly in Brisbane, Pujara held on for 92-ball 25 in the first innings and when India was chasing 328 to win, he made 56 in 211 balls, assuring his younger partners to go for runs and that he will hold one end up. He also copped a lot of blows to his helmet, shoulder, fingers, and thumb during that knock.
His family back in Gujarat winced and took their eyes away from the TV set, as Pujara was battered and bruised while helping India tear down Australia’s fortress that was Gabba, Brisbane.
Meanwhile, his 2-year-old daughter Aditi in her innocence said, “When he comes home, I will kiss where he is hurt, he will be fine.”
“That’s what I do to her when she falls, so she believes that a kiss can heal every wound," Pujara said in an interview to Indian Express, amused by his daughter’s remedy.
Pujara has had his share of injuries during his career, playing a significant knock of 70 against South Africa in Delhi with a broken finger. Both his hamstrings have snapped during a game.
Never ever allow discomfort to manifest on the face, it is something he learnt from his father Arvind, a hardened first-class cricketer from helmet-less days.
“From my early days, I am not in the habit of taking pain- killers. That’s why my threshold to bear pain is pretty high. You play for so long, you get used to getting hit,” says Pujara.
Both father and son say that Brisbane was a very unusual game. Pujara has the defense to avoid physical injury through short balls. Pujara says things were different at the Gabba. The pitch conditions, the game plan, and the match situation made him put his body on the line.
“I mostly got hit from one end and that too against (Pat) Cummins. There was this crack on the pitch around the short-of-length spot from where the ball would just take off. Cummins has the skill to make the ball rear up from there and make it follow you.
AUS v IND 2020-21: “Remember this is Test cricket” Mohammed Kaif comes to Cheteshwar Pujara's aid
In case I took my hand up to defend it, there was a risk that I would glove the ball. Considering the match situation and how we couldn’t afford to lose wickets, I decided to let the ball hit my body,” he says.
“We all were worried seeing him jumping around in the crease and slumping down on the ground. I thought he might have to go inside and end the innings,” Pujara Senior said.
Like last time in 2018-19, Pujara leaves the Aussie shores once again a hero. He is being hailed as the savior of Test cricket yet again, the reason for people to fall in love with the longest game again.
(Indian Express inputs)
