Busting Cheteshwar Pujara and his overseas myth

[LORD_analyst]

Even as India hammered their way past Sri Lanka to conclude 2017 on a winning note, most of the cricket following fraternity in the country had already begun shifting their focus to 2018 and the overseas challenge that lay ahead.

The team under Virat Kohli had won nine Test series in a row, most of them dominant wins, but questions on everyone's mind was: Can this team go a level higher and show it has the potential to becoming a 'great' team from being a 'good' team by achieving the same kind of success abroad?

Now, if one glances at teams from the past, who have tasted success across all conditions in all countries, the common factor in them is the presence of a few players who always find ways to adapt and succeed.

Expectations were naturally high from Virat Kohli to perform well in South Africa, but there was one other player, on whom a lot of hopes were pinned upon.

Cheteshwar Pujara went to the rainbow nation as a rejuvenated player, after having had a stellar home season, where he contributed a great deal to India's success.

The right-hander, who was part of the squad that travelled in 2013 and excelled with the bat on that occasion, had well-and-truly established himself as the deserved Number 3 in the batting order and looked good to succeed in South Africa.

However, two Test matches into the tour, and it seems like those who predicted a good time for him have been made to eat their own words.

In the four innings so far, Pujara has managed a mere 49 runs at an average of 12.50 and it has meant that the other middle and lower-order batsmen have been put under pressure.

Add to the low scores, his manner of dismissals in the second Test came under further flak among his fans as he became the first Indian batsman to head back to the pavilion, run out in both innings of the Test match.

Many players in the present team play all three or at least two formats of the game for India.

Pujara, however, isn't one of those and to understand as to how much effort he has put to become a good player across conditions in the longer format, one can look at how in the last three years, he has unhesitantly left the urge of playing in the Indian Premier League and instead, gone to England to play county cricket in the early part of the English summer, where batting conditions are among the toughest.

Yet, when it has mattered, the right-hander has been unable to put his head down and score big against a very skilful attack

Often, the technique is something that is stressed upon enormously when it comes to playing good quality fast bowling.

The best batsmen of their generation possessed the ability to counter different conditions by adapting their game accordingly.

While few would dispute against Pujara having a good defence as well as a precise understanding of where his off-stump is as well, sometimes the slow nature of his game seems to be counter-productive as well.

In the four innings that he has played so far, the right-hander has not been able to reach the 50-mark in terms of strike rate even once and that has invariably put pressure on him and the team as well, in terms of the scoring rate.

Is Pujara as good as he's been made to look overseas?

When we have often spoken of Indian batsmen and their record overseas, invariably, Pujara's name does come up as someone who is expected to do well.

But numbers from his previous tours abroad tell a slightly different story.

In his 56-match Test career so far, Pujara has played 37 of them in Asian conditions and his average is an impressive 65. 55.

But the moment he steps foot in other parts of the world, the numbers begin to look a lot more different.

In Africa, he has made 360 runs in 6 matches at an average of 32. In the United Kingdom, he averages 22.20 in 5 matches and in Australia and New Zealand those averages rise marginally to 26.10 in the same number of matches as the UK.

A simpler home-and-away split sees Pujara's average fall from exactly 50 at home to 43 away from it.

The stats are an indication of a player, on whom a lot of expectations have been placed courtesy his showings at home, but how the player has not been able to rise and deliver to those hopes.

However, the public pinning those hopes on him is something that he can't escape and the sooner he understands that and find a way to start meeting them, the better it would be for him and Indian cricket.

2018 provides him with a good chance to do that. Post South Africa, India travel to England in July for a five-match Test series alias 2014 and post that they travel to Australia for a four-match Test series, stretching into the New Year.

The opportunities are there for the taking, but the answer to whether Pujara will grab them, we will know very soon.

 

 

source-

https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/bursting-cheteshwar-pujara-and-his-overseas-myth

 

[rkt.india]

is there any such myth? everyone knows he has not been as good overseas.

[Ankit_sharma03]

There was never a myth regd him as a good overseas player

 

Only myths were- he has the best and most solid technique ......which got exposed

Few fan n ex cricketers overhyping him as next dravid

Few fans calling him better then kohli here ( he is only better in subcontinent then kohli and kohli is slowly closing the distance)

 

these were the few statements regd pujara which was overhyped .......

[kira]

There is no such myth in the first place, pujara is a pathetic batsman overseas, he's not the next dravid, he's just an improved version of akash chopra

[vvvslaxman]

People are backing him for his temperament. But he keeps letting us down.

[Khota]

Pujara slot is up for grabs if the coach has any brains. He has shown nothing.

[ThePhenomenal1]

Pujara has to be replaced or play at 5 with the old ball (dont want to risk rahane though)

 

Any ideas on who should replace him?

[LORD_analyst]

1 hour ago, ThePhenomenal1 said:

Pujara has to be replaced or play at 5 with the old ball (dont want to risk rahane though)

 

Any ideas on who should replace him?

at 5..when the ball is old ..we need a strokemaker .....not a boy having 0(53)

[LORD_analyst]

shameful and pathetic-

 

 

 

Batting statistics in Tests  

FILTERS

IN AUS

X

IN ENG

X

IN NZ

X

IN SA

X

RESET FILTERS

FILTERED

OVERALL

Mats

17

57

Inns

33

96

Runs

894

4496

Ave

27.09

50.51

HS

153

206*

100s

1

14

50s

4

17

MoM

0

4

MoS

0

0

 

 

 

 

averaging 27???????

[Khota]

1 hour ago, ThePhenomenal1 said:

Pujara has to be replaced or play at 5 with the old ball (dont want to risk rahane though)

 

Any ideas on who should replace him?

I will try karthick, Rahul or few others. There are atleast 5 who can be tried out.

[LORD_analyst]

Just now, Khota said:

I will try karthick, Rahul or few others. There are atleast 5 who can be tried out.

karthick is 35+....need others like positive players in domestic

[LORD_analyst]

here's one-

 

https://www.cricketsoccer.com/2017/11/29/cheteshwar-pujaras-inability-force-pace-really-worrying/

[LORD_analyst]

read 2nd para-

 

https://scroll.in/field/832885/michael-clarke-brad-haddin-slam-india-s-negative-batting-tactics-on-day-2

[Khota]

5 minutes ago, LORD_analyst said:

karthick is 35+....need others like positive players in domestic

I hate to hold age against anyone if they are physically and mentally capable. I think Karthick can atleast give one good year of batting/wkt kpg.

[Temujin Khaghan]

dudes, even vijay needs to be terminated... 

I won't really mind, if we find a replacement before the England tour... but I know its impossible

 

 

Pujara, vijay - are very close to the axe

Dhawan, rohit - please leave test cricket alone...

[LORD_analyst]

38 minutes ago, Temujin Khaghan said:

dudes, even vijay needs to be terminated... 

I won't really mind, if we find a replacement before the England tour... but I know its impossible

 

 

Pujara, vijay - are very close to the axe

Dhawan, rohit - please leave test cricket alone...

i think vijay was short of confidence.....but pujara is over-defensive and hence cant change his game....but if vijay plays good warm-up knocks ..im sure he will do better 

[LORD_analyst]

2 hours ago, Khota said:

I hate to hold age against anyone if they are physically and mentally capable. I think Karthick can atleast give one good year of batting/wkt kpg.

is he the future...no ...... india needs to groom young talent ..instead of going back to old options who might not last for next 2yrs

[vvvslaxman]

I would keep M Vijay. He will leave soon. But rightnow he is needed overseas. We cannot throw a rookie at the deep end right away.Once this series is over we can contemplate on replacements.  Let Pujara play get one last chance to prove himself.  He replaced someone like Dravid who was a god English conditions. I would be happy if Pujara is even half good  as Dravid  he would go a long way in resurrecting his career.