India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara on Friday (August 27) returned to form as he slammed a brilliant half-century to keep the visitors’ hopes alive in the ongoing third Test against England at Headingley.
Having registered scores 4, 12*, 9 and 45 in the first two Tests, Pujara was under the scanner heading into the Leeds Test. In fact, questions were raised over his place in the playing XI after failure in the first innings at Headingley.
However, Pujara silenced his critics with a classy knock on Day 3 of the third Test when Team India were trailing the hosts by 354 runs in the second innings.
Pujara, who often receives flak for his slow approach, took everyone by surprise as he hit three fours in space of a few balls and he was off and running. The right-hander added 82 runs for the second wicket with opener Rohit Sharma (59) and completed his fifty in the process after 12 innings.
After Rohit’s dismissal, skipper Virat Kohli joined Pujara in the middle and the duo took the tourists to 215/2 at stumps on Day 3, still trailing England by 139 runs.
At the close of play, Pujara was unbeaten on 91 while Kohli was on 45 not out and their partnership was unbroken on 99.
For his stunning display with the bat, Cheteshwar Pujara garnered rich praise from the cricket fraternity on Twitter.
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