India Tour of Australia : Glenn McGrath feels Cheteshwar Pujara’s lack of “batting time” will have a “big impact” on Test series
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Glenn McGrath and Cheteshwar Pujara
We are exactly a month away from the most anticipated series of the year, the Test series between India and Australia. Both sides come into the series with great confidence. Team India comes on the back of some scintillating performances back home. And having clinched their first Test series Down Under on their last visit, Virat Kohli and Co. will be eager to make it two in two this time around.
On the other hand, Australia are a much better side than what they were two years ago. The return of David Warner and Steve Smith and the rise of Marnus Labuschagne has bolstered their batting unit. And the lethal pace trio of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensures the hosts have all bases covered before the high profile clash.
Kohli’s absence is a big blow
But it is Indian skipper Kohli’s absence that will be pivotal in deciding the fate of both sides. Kohli will be leaving after the first Test for the birth of his first child. And former Aussie great Glenn McGrath feels it is a big blow for India. McGrath shares that if other Indian players don’t step up to fill the hole, the series is all but done for the visitors.
“It will impact the series. The player of his quality and class, for India to lose him in three out of four Tests is a big blow,” he said. “It will be for the other players to step up. I can totally understand him wanting to go back for his first child’s birth,” McGrath said in a select media interaction.
Pujara will have to work harder this series
Indian Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara played an integral role in India’s dominating performance during the 2017-18 tour. Pujara topped the aggregates with 521 runs in four matches and battered the Aussie bowlers with his resilence. But McGrath feels that the Saurashtra batsman might not be as effective this time around with no game time under his belt. The former quick adds that Pujara will have to toil hard to replicate his heroics from their last visit.
“The thing he did so well last time was that he occupied the crease. He spent time in the middle just batting. He is a kind of batsman who doesn’t feel pressure when not scoring runs. That’s unique in the modern era where there are batsmen who would want to score runs after one maiden over. Pujara doesn’t have that mindset. That helped him last time, allowed him to get a lot of time and just compile runs,” McGrath said.
“The fact that he hasn’t spent time in the middle, hasn’t had lot of long batting time, is going to have a big impact. He will probably have to work harder this series than the last one as he hasn’t played any cricket.”
Pujara was not part of the IPL. The India No.3’s last competitive match was in March when Saurashtra beat Bengal in the Ranji Trophy final.
Also read : “It will be a different challenge,” Cheteshwar Pujara on facing the pink Kookaburra in Australia
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