Cheteshwar Pujara in 2008

[mister]

Under-22 CK Nayudu Trophy 2008-09 Pujara scores 386 in run-up to Challengers Cricinfo staff October 14, 2008 Cheteshwar Pujara: "I was batting on 240 when the last day started; that's when I knew I could go past 300" © AFP Cheteshwar Pujara, the Saurashtra captain, has scored 386 against Maharashtra in the Under-22 CK Nayudu Trophy in Rajkot - an innings of significant timing as it comes a week before the start of the Challenger Trophy, featuring national players and those on the fringes. The innings, though not recorded in a first-class tournament, was weighty, lasting eleven and a half hours and including 38 fours and five sixes. Pujara said he thought he had a chance to get the triple-century on day three of the four-day game. "I was batting on 100-odd runs and Ravindra Jadeja got out after a big partnership," he told Cricinfo. "I knew I had to bat with responsibility as we were chasing 368 for points. I knew I had to score a big one, a least a double-hundred. I was batting on 240 when the last day started; that's wthen I knew I could go past 300." Saurashtra got three points from the match on the basis of the178-run first-innings lead after Pujara led them to 546 for 8 in reply to Maharashtra's 368. Pujara, a right-hand middle order batsman, will play for India Green in the Challengers. He was Saurashtra's top run-getter in the Ranji Trophy last season with 907 runs at 53.35, including three centuries and also toured Israel with the India A side. © Cricinfo

[King]

One for the future I guess. Anyone that is capable of scoring nearly 400 runs will be good enough.

[flamy]

I always thought Pujara was a lefty. I'd already put him up as a prospect in that thread where we were discussing replacements. :winky:

[The Outsider]

We need batsmen like these capable of stringing together long innings for our test future. Good luck to him.

[Mr. Wicket]

Yup. Just a shame Pujara's chosen to move down from the opening slot to a middle order berth.

[Predator_05]

Yup. Just a shame Pujara's chosen to move down from the opening slot to a middle order berth.

Why ? It's a good move for him. India currently has 4 top notch openers in Gambhir, Sehwag, Jaffer and Chopra. The team is stacked in that position for the next 3 seasons. But slots will always be up for grabs in middle order as the big 4 approach the finish line...

[Mr. Wicket]

I don't believe Jaffer's long term, and I believe Sehwag'll move to the MO once the middle order retire.

[The Outsider]

I don't believe Jaffer's long term' date=' and I believe Sehwag'll move to the MO once the middle order retire.[/quote'] If he is made captain he very well might.....he had mentioned he prefers batting in the middle order even a couple of years back. In fact, he has opened for Delhi in hardly 2-3 games even after becoming a regular test opener where he captains the side.

[Ram]

I don't believe Jaffer's long term' date=' a[b']nd I believe Sehwag'll move to the MO once the middle order retire.

Huh?

[Mr. Wicket]

see above, Sriram.

[Ram]

Sehwag cant bat in the middle order just because he wants to do so. Its not like we have a conveyor belt that churns out world beating opening batsman by the minute. The opening spot has been our Achilles heal till 2002, which is when Sehwag started opening. The results from then on tell a story by themselves. Btw, long time no see Shwetabh! Good to have you back!

[The Outsider]

Sehwag cant bat in the middle order just because he wants to do so. Its not like we have a conveyor belt that churns out world beating opening batsman by the minute. The opening spot has been our Achilles heal till 2002, which is when Sehwag started opening. The results from then on tell a story by themselves. Btw, long time no see Shwetabh! Good to have you back!

Thanks....lots going on. Difficult to find time to breathe but an India-Australia series is just too big to pass up. And yes, Sehwag, if captain, can bat in the middle order just because he wants to. If Kumble can keep getting injured in every second match and keep on playing, if Ganguly can average in the 20s over 20 test matches and still play where and how they want to, so can Sehwag. Moreover, if there is a crisis 2 years down the line it's in the middle order which will need all the experience it can get. A combination chosen between Chopra, Jaffer, and Gambhir is not all that poor for the opening spot.

[Ram]

And yes, Sehwag, if captain, can bat in the middle order just because he wants to. If Kumble can keep getting injured in every second match and keep on playing, if Ganguly can average in the 20s over 20 test matches and still play where and how they want to, so can Sehwag. Moreover, if there is a crisis 2 years down the line it's in the middle order which will need all the experience it can get. A combination chosen between Chopra, Jaffer, and Gambhir is not all that poor for the opening spot.

I am sorry but that doesnt quite make sense to me. If Ganguly kept playing despite averaging in the 20s or Kumble keeps playing despite bowling badly, that is actually BAD for the team. I speak from Indian cricket point of view, not with regards to what Sehwag can do if he is made captain.Of course he can demote himself down the order if he wants, but that doesnt mean he should do it. And w.r.t the replacements, the jury is still out on Gambhir. He's just made a comeback, so lets wait for a while before jumping to conclusions. Chopra is quite simply, too slow for international test cricket. And as far as Jaffer is concerned, he failed quite badly in two of his biggest litmus tests - Eng in 2007 and Aus 2007/08.

[Mr. Wicket]

Sehwag cant bat in the middle order just because he wants to do so.

Sehwag will bat in the middle order to fill the void of experience, run-getting wealth and solidity that middle order will lack in the future, not just because he wants to do so. And with a few noble exceptions like Gavaskar, Boycott and Hutton who cut their teeth as specialist openers, teams normally have their best batsman in the middle order (especially if that's his preferred spot). Tendulkar, Lara, Kallis, Steve Waugh, Ponting, Crowe, Aravinda, Richards, Chappell, Inzamam, Miandad, etc. In Sehwag's case, he began as an opener because the middle order was full and hasn't changed since. In a few years he will be one of the most senior statemen in the side, and he'll be the most important batsman in the team by a distance (if he isn't already now). At that point there won't be other options in the MO, so I'm sure he'll be moved there to fill the rungetting void that we'll see, and as that's where he's also most keen on batting.

Its not like we have a conveyor belt that churns out world beating opening batsman by the minute. The opening spot has been our Achilles heal till 2002, which is when Sehwag started opening. The results from then on tell a story by themselves.

Indeed, but youth and first class numbers recently tell another story. Ajinkya Rahane IS a specialist opener. Batted as an opener at club and U19 level, opened for Bombay - and has test batsman written ALL OVER HIM. When he's picked (When, not if), he will open the batting being a natural batsman in that position. Ravi Teja from Hyderabad is another worth following. Dhawan is a talent, but needs to make more big scores - but the selectors' eyes have been following him a while. From the way the youth/fc scene looks, there seem to be a lot of impressive young opening batsmen coming up the ranks, and a few of them do look genuinely international class. There aren't that many top class middle order bats in the rest of India though. Badrinath and Kaif are two. Rohit Sharma has delivered very little so far. The way things are going, we'll have a lot of fine young batting choices for numbers 1-3, but a far emptier middle order soon (that will leave us yearning for members of the Fab Four whom we keep deriding and knocking every time we get the chance), and senior players like Sehwag will be expected to step into the middle order and fill it.

[Cricketics]

i think it's Gautam Gambhir who i think should move to Middle order to fill the void. from past 6-7years we have been having sehwag on top and it would be good if sehwag stick to his opening slot. the crazy hitting he does on top is much needed. he just breaks the bowler's line and lenght plus the confidence p.s - nice to see you posting again Shwetabh.. welcome back...

[sharma]

i think it's Gautam Gambhir who i think should move to Middle order to fill the void. from past 6-7years we have been having sehwag on top and it would be good if sehwag stick to his opening slot. the crazy hitting he does on top is much needed. he just breaks the bowler's line and lenght plus the confidence p.s - nice to see you posting again Shwetabh.. welcome back...

i agree, gambhir with his skills against spin, can do well in the middle order. but i dunno if its wise to break the viru-gg partnership, they complement each other well.

[Cricketics]

i agree, gambhir with his skills against spin, can do well in the middle order. but i dunno if its wise to break the viru-gg partnership, they complement each other well.

there is a solution to it. picking Chopra to open along with Sehwag. they both compliment each other well too

[The Outsider]

Completely agree with Salil. The powerhouse of any international batting line up barring the exception of Australia over the last couple of years where Hayden and Ponting have batted in the top order, has been the middle order. We are going to require experience in the middle order and who better to provide it than Sehwag, specially if he prefers it. Unlike Bumper and a few others I believe batting battles are won in the middle order, not at the top.....

[jf1gp_1]

We need batsmen like these capable of stringing together long innings for our test future. Good luck to him.

S Ramesh had a 300+ score Dinesh Kartik has a 400+ score, these are fluke innings

[Ram]

Salil, some good food for thought. Let me sleep over what you just wrote and I'll respond tomorrow. :D