WTC Final: “Cheteshwar Pujara could have rotated the strike a bit more” – Dale Steyn

WTC Final: “Cheteshwar Pujara could have rotated the strike a bit more” – Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn and Cheteshwar Pujara

India’s Cheteshwar Pujara played yet another knock of his style against New Zealand at the ongoing ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final. The Indian number three took 36 deliveries to get off the mark with a cracking square cut against Neil Wagner.

He hit yet another boundary in the following over before his inning came to an end. Ace Kiwi bowler Trent Boult trapped Pujara leg before wicket on his 54th ball with just eight runs against his name. Pujara’s only runs against the Blackcaps came off the boundaries as there were no singles or doubles.

Meanwhile, former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn was critical of Pujara’s sluggish knock as he opined that the 33-year-old could have rotated the strike a bit more. Steyn highlighted that Pujara missed a few run-scoring opportunities which he could have grabbed while being proactive at the crease.

“You wanna see someone like Pujara, he faced 50 balls, we know that this is the kind of player he is, but I’m sure if he went back and sat with the video analyst, he’d find that there are deliveries where he could have rotated the strike,’’ Steyn said on ESPNcricinfo.

“I am sure in all those 50 balls, there was somewhere where he could have rotated the strike and just get that scoring nudge along for himself and the team,” he added.

‘India will be happy not to lose much wickets’: Steyn

Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli

The former cricketer highlighted that the Virat Kohli-led side will be happy to not lose many wickets but could have added a few more runs. 

“India will be happy that they haven’t lost as many wickets but they would want to keep the scoreboard ticking. You want guys like Pujara to bat long innings but at the same time, you’d want him to score a bit quicker,” added Dale Steyn.

Team India finished Day 2’s play at 146/3 with captain Virat Kohli (44*) and vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (29*) currently batting well at the crease. On the other hand, NZ’s Kyle Jamieson has so far emerged as their pick of the bowlers with an outstanding spell of 14-9-14-1.

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