India vs Australia: Tom Moody feels Cheteshwar Pujara’s ‘style of play allows the bowler to hone in on a dinner plate’

India vs Australia: Tom Moody feels Cheteshwar Pujara’s ‘style of play allows the bowler to hone in on a dinner plate’

Cheteshwar Pujara (Credit - Cricket Australia)

Cheteshwar Pujara (Credit - Cricket Australia)
Cheteshwar Pujara (Credit – Cricket Australia)

Cheteshwar Pujara has been the pillar of India’s middle order in the longest format. It was his brilliance which helped India to their maiden Test series win Down Under during the 2018-19 tour. But Pujara has not been able to replicate his past heroics this time around. While he has played some crucial knocks in the series so far, he hasn’t had the impact he had on the previous tour.

Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody feels that he has cracked the secret as to why Pujara has faltered this series. Moody points out that the Indian batters extremely defensive approach is what has led to his undoing. The Aussie great explains that Pujara doesn’t look to take the fight to the bowler. And it allows them to home in on good line and lengths without any pressure on them.

“One observation I have with Pujara… there’s no question about his quality, he’s a very fine Test batsman. But one thing I will say is that his style of play allows the bowler to hone in on a dinner plate and remain in that competitive length and line. Where another proactive batsman is reversing the pressure back on the bowler. And they are finding it hard to find a dinner plate,” Moody said on ESPNCricinfo.

“There’s a small sort of window on a very good length and line. So Pujara is never quite forcing a bowler like Hazlewood to or a Pat Cummins off that length because he is resolute on his defence. And if they are allowed to stay in there, the ball is going to just bounce a little bit more, seam a little bit more and his bat is going to be sitting there for that.”

They were saved by the Thakur and Sundar partnership

Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur

The Indian top-order yet again threw away a good start and the tourists were left struggling. But the duo of rookies Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur saved the day for India. Thakur and Sundar stitched a century stand as they brought up their maiden Test half-centuries. Moody is mighty impressed by the duo. And asserts that they single-handedly kept their side in the game.

“They were saved by the partnership between Thakur and Sundar. If the partnership hadn’t evolved, we’d be talking about the fact that the top order all got starts, except for Shubman Gill. And failed to cash in on what was a pretty good batting surface,” Moody adds.

“I think we’ve seen today how a good a surface it was at the Gabba and to get a start as a top order batsman in a Test match and get yourself in and not convert to something substantial. It is something you do kick yourself for. And a number of the top order batsman did that through some indifference strokeplay. You have to give credit to the Australian bowlers.”

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