Cheteshwar Pujara in 2008

[Mr. Wicket]

I'm right, aren't I? :P

[Ram]

^ I'm still wondering about what you wrote. So, dont jump the gun yet. :D/:P But let me say this; Dont hasten too much in placing your wager on promising FC openers as yet. Its one thing to look good at the U-19 and FC level, but an entirely different thing to transalate that into international success. And your take about the team's best batsman batting in the middle order does have one problem. For India, Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly have ALWAYS played in the MO. Yet, we didnt taste too much international success pre-2002 did we? Its not about who bats where, its about what works for the team.

[Mr. Wicket]

Don't mix up correlation and causation. Dravid/Ganguly/SRT/Laxman in the middle order with or without Sehwag as opener wasn't the core reason India struggled overseas pre-01. It had a lot more to do than just the opening combo. Captaincy, mental approach to tours, bowling options available and tactics made a huge difference.

[Sooda]

Another reason why Sehwag should mover lower down is his eyes will not be the same; it will be easier if he is not facing the new, moving ball when he is older.

[Ram]

Don't mix up correlation and causation. Dravid/Ganguly/SRT/Laxman in the middle order with or without Sehwag as opener wasn't the core reason India struggled overseas pre-01. It had a lot more to do than just the opening combo. Captaincy' date=' mental approach to tours, bowling options available and tactics made a huge difference.[/quote'] Oh no, I was merely responding to your contention that generally, the team’s best batsman always bat in the middle order. I don’t see how you can possibly apply that ‘rule’ across the board to all teams, under all situations. Hayden’s record over the last 7 years has been as good as Ponting’s and Graeme Smith is only a notch below Kallis, in my opinion. But, in your earlier post, you had said that with Jaffer, Chopra and Gambhir around, our openers’ spot is in relatively safe hands, atleast for in the short term. I disagree with that too.

[PaiN_KiLLeR]

Second triple-hundred in a week for Pujara. This time its 308 against Mumbai.

[Mr. Wicket]

Who was in the attack? Any of Abdulla, Mungela or Kulkarni?

[Kohum]

Cheteshwar score triple ton - AGAIN Cheteshwar Pujara, the Saurashtra captain, has scored his second triple-century in a week, notching up 308 against Mumbai in the Under-22 CK Nayudu Trophy in Rajkot. Last Monday, Pujara made 386 against Maharashtra at the same venue in the same tournament. Saurashtra gained three points from their first-innings lead after Mumbai were bowled out for 473 in reply to their 754. Pujara said he was "immensely satisfied" at scoring two triple-centuries. "I came in at No. 3 in both the matches and was happy to stay at the wicket for such long periods of time," he told the Times of India. While he spent eleven and a half hours at the crease against Maharashtra, he batted for nearly nine against Mumbai. "What makes me happy is that in both the cases, I batted for two days at a stretch." Pujara has been picked for the Challenger Trophy, featuring national players and those on the fringes, starting on Saturday. His two mammoth scores come ahead of the two Tests and seven ODIs against England. "I think I'm comfortable in both forms of the game. The Challengers will be a great platform for me to show my one-day skills." Debu Mitra, the Saurashtra coach, said it was Pujara's solid defence that made him such a good player. "If you have a good defence, you've won half the battle," Mitra said. "This boy has a sound defensive technique and enormous powers of concentration." But while he is happy to have his technique compared to Rahul Dravid, also known for his impenetrable defence, Pujara said it wasn't for him to decide whether he would replace Dravid in the Indian team. "Dravid is a great player and I am a huge of fan of his, just as I follow Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting. I pray for half an hour every day and that helps me in my batting." Kris Srikkanth, the BCCI's chairman of selectors, said Pujara will be watched keenly during the Challengers. "Scoring two triple-hundreds in any form of cricket is a great achievement," Srikkanth said. "I have seen him bat in the Test against New Zealand A and the guy looks extremely talented." http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/374890.html ===================================== Man , this guy seems good !! :clap:

[Sachinism]

wow...this guy is smashing the selectors the door

[Dirty_South]

wow....excellent stuff.

[Laaloo]

How old is he?

[Sachinism]

he's 20 years old

[msb1991]

It is an U22 tournament, I imagine the standard of bowling to be abysmal in places.

[umpire]

well even then triple is triple. Guy is solid batter. Is he our replacement for Dravid?? Hope so

[bharat297]

He is no doubt a talent. But we must be careful and go through this transition phase bit by bit. Ganguly is gone and it looks as if Badri will be his replacement. Lets see how he reacts to test cricket ... then when the next guy retires (probably Dravid or Sachin) about a year or so later, we bring the next guy in and hopefully Badri would have had enough experience to be able to take his game to the next level. We dont want to be in a situation where we have 4 debutants in the middle order.

[Predator_05]

He is good, but he needs to move away from crappy Saurashtra if he wants to get a look-in for the Test side

[Holysmoke]

wtf 2 triple tons in a week! should really help his profile..

[Mr. Wicket]

It is an U22 tournament' date=' I imagine the standard of bowling to be abysmal in places.[/quote'] Depends on the Mumbai attack. A potential Mumbai U22 attack could have Dhawal Kulkarni (A team standout), Iqbal Abdulla (A team standout as well) and Mundeep Mungela (decent Ranji bowler with a fair bit of potential). Any score against those bowlers is worth remembering.

[SachDan]

Why was he not picked in the X1 for both unofficial tests vs Aus-A?:hmmmm2:

[Shane]

Yeh naya run-machine kaun hai yaar ? Does he have a cricinfo profile ???