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NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes India are missing the steady influence of Cheteshwar Pujara in their Test lineup following their second consecutive defeat to New Zealand. India lost the second Test in Pune by 113 runs, resulting in a 0-2 series scoreline and marking their first home series defeat since 2012.
Chopra raised questions about the absence of Pujara, known for his patient and defensive style of play, which had often been a backbone for India in difficult conditions. He pointed out that the current Indian lineup lacks the ability to grind out sessions and manage periods of intense pressure.
“Are we missing Pujara? It’s a big question actually,” Chopra said in his YouTube channel. “As a player, you might say that he would score these many runs and others would also score as many runs, so are you missing him that much? Maybe not, because at some stage you have to move beyond everyone. So you left Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in such a scenario.”Chopra highlighted how the team has adapted to playing aggressively but questioned whether it is the right approach for Test cricket. “You got Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant started playing at No. 5. So things changed a lot. Change is the rule of nature but one thing is definitely missing. No one in this team is able to do what Cheteshwar Pujara used to do. Everyone plays the same brand of cricket, that they would attack and play aggressive cricket, and have nothing to do with a draw as they play like this only. That does not work,” Chopra added.
He further explained that Pujara’s style of play, while often criticized for being slow or unglamorous, played a crucial role in holding the team together during difficult sessions. “It will happen repeatedly in Test cricket that you will be asked to play a session where a wicket shouldn’t fall. You need to keep your head down and defend. There is a battle of attrition at times. Cheteshwar Pujara’s defensive cricket, that brand of cricket which is non-glamorous, hard-working, staying at the wicket from morning to evening, we are missing that brand of cricket, and we are repeatedly seeing the result of that in collapses.”
Chopra also stressed how Pujara’s presence benefited the team even when he wasn’t scoring heavily. “You need a guy to stand there to stop collapses even if the scoreboard moves or not. He keeps delaying the game. The bowlers get tired and the ball gets old and soft, and the others score runs. India are of course missing that game style of Pujara.”
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