India vs Australia: Pat Cummins reveals how he ‘trapped’ Cheteshwar Pujara at the Adelaide Test

Pat Cummins and Cheteshwar Pujara

^{Pat Cummins claimed seven wickets at the Adelaide Oval}

The Indian team had a horrible outing during the inaugural Test match at the Adelaide Oval. After dominating the first two days, the visiting side bundled out for 36 in the morning session of day three. Australian pace bowlers bowled brilliantly during the second innings, outclassing Indian speedsters’ performances.

Pat Cummins emerged as the leading wicket-taker during the match with his seven scalps against an experienced Indian batting unit. After removing three Indian players in the first innings, the kangaroo bowler improved his numbers to take four wickets in the next innings.

Cummins also got the all-important wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara, the leading run-scorer during the 2018-19 series Down Under. After getting out for a well-fought 43 in the first innings, Pujara could not trouble the scoreboard later. Cummins claimed his wicket caught behind as Tim Paine completed a regulation catch. Later, the 27-year-old revealed how he mastered the ‘wall’ Pujara at the Adelaide Oval.

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“One of the biggest helpers was the wicket. It felt like there was a bit of sideways movement, so we could just challenge his defence over and over again, and having a bit of bounce in the wicket certainly helped. Nathan Lyon bowled beautifully to him in the first innings, but we’re clear on what we want to do to him,” Cummins said in a virtual press conference.

‘Pujara batted well in the first innings but the scoreboard didn’t go anywhere’

***^{Cheteshwar Pujara played well during the first innings}***

Cummins told how Pujara played a gritty knock in the first innings but could not bat for too long. He reckoned that the best chance of getting back into the game is when you claim an early wicket of Pujara.

“You saw we brought another man to the leg side as well, to try to attack his stumps. I thought he batted really well in the first innings, but we bowled well enough for the scoreboard not to go anywhere. So you feel like when you get him out if he hasn’t got onto that big score then you’re right in the game,” he added.

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