( P.N: The article has been uploaded after Team India was bundled out for 78 on Day 1 of the 3rd Test and Pujara is yet to bat in second innings)

Before the start of the second Test against England at the Lord’s which Team India won by 151 runs, Cheteshwar Pujara had plenty to ponder over. He was not in the best of form and had a poor average of 14 in his previous 5 innings. The right-hander last scored a century way back in January 2019.

In 21 Tests that Pujara has been a part of since 2019 he has managed to score only 1104 runs. For somebody who sets very high standards for himself as an international Test cricketer, Pujara has been going through a low phase in his career for quite a long time.

Of late Pujara’s batting approach also came under a lot of criticism for being too slow in terms of his run-scoring ability. Some experts even suggested that the right-hander should be replaced by youngsters like Surya Kumar Yadav. But Pujara silenced his critics by scoring a vital 45 runs in the second innings of the second Test versus England.

Pujara can be expected to play more such crucial knocks

The right-hander was dismissed for only 9 runs in the first innings at Lord’s. In the second innings, the Indian team was in a precarious position having lost three early wickets. Pujara then got involved in a brilliant partnership with Ajinkya Rahane worth 100 runs for the fourth wicket.

Incidentally, Rahane too had faced a lot of flak for his poor batting in the last few innings before the second Test. But the duo of Pujara and Rahane proved why they are rated so highly as batsmen and pulled India out of trouble before Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah stitched together a match-winning 89-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

Although Pujara did not score a half-century at Lord’s his performance must have done a world of good to his confidence. There are still three more Tests to be played against England in the ongoing series and Pujara can be expected to play more such crucial knocks.

Here are three reasons why Pujara will continue to play an important role in England series:

#1. Ideal candidate to step up if Kohli’s lack of form continues

One of the biggest worries for Team India has been skipper Virat Kohli’s lack of form in the past one and a half years or so. Recently he slipped to the number 5 position in ICC Test batsman rankings.

In the current series against England, the Indian skipper is yet to reach the fifty-run mark in the four innings that he has played so far. A lot of cricket is still to be played in the series and there is no reason why a modern-day great in Kohli cannot bounce back.

But if Kohli is unable to come up with match-winning knocks then Pujara is the ideal candidate to step up and fill the void. He already has done that once in the series at Lord’s.

#2. A perfect combination of experience, temperament, and technique

Pujara, who is described by many as the successor of Rahul Dravid has got plenty of experience as a Test cricketer. He has played 88 odd Tests and boasts of an impressive average of 45.59. With 18 centuries and 3 double centuries, the Saurashtra cricketer has been a tough nut to crack for bowlers all over the world.

What stands out in Pujara’s batting is his temperament. He is one determined bloke and his ability to concentrate for long hours makes him a frustrating batsman to bowl at. He is someone who relishes tough challenges and often ends up being the proverbial glue that binds the Indian batting unit together.

It will be very difficult if not impossible for any other batsman to have the kind of impact Pujara can have as a batsman at the number 3 position. His rock-solid technique and natural style of playing the ball late make him a suitable candidate for batting in English conditions.

#3. Brings the right amount of stability to the top order

Team India has not been able to find a stable opening combination in Tests due to one reason or the other. After Prithvi Shaw got dropped Shubman Gill had shown a lot of promise as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma. But Gill, who did not have a great run after the Australia tour of 2020, got injured just before the start of the England series.

Mayank Agarwal, who was the most likely candidate to replace Gill also got injured. K.L. Rahul took up the role and has already played a brilliant knock of 129 runs in the first innings of the second Test. It is still early days for the opening combination of Sharma and Rahul.

In the longest format of the game, winning or losing can depend a lot on how well the top order performs. A dependable batsman like Pujara at the number 3 position can lend the right amount of stability to the top order of the Indian team’s batting lineup.

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