Without Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma, Team India managed to secure a memorable win at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Thanks to Ajinkya Rahane for the way he led the team in Kohli’s absence.
They will be looking to replicate the same winning formula in the upcoming Tests. Of course, the visitors would come up with better plans and strategies to outclass the Kangaroos. What’s worse than the best batsman getting injured midway through the series?
It does give plenty of problems for the team in terms of the batting strike force. Australia ran through this issue when they lost the services of David Warner for the T20I series.
The hosts also missed him in the first two Tests. While the Aussies pulled off an 8-wicket win over India at Adelaide Oval, they succumbed to the visitors’ bowling attack in the second Test at MCG.
After a disastrous debacle in the pink-ball Test, Indians arrived like a hyperlative hurricane to win the Boxing Day Test. Rightly so, they leveled the series 1-1.
Cheteshwar Pujara survives injury scare
India’s talisman batsman Cheteshwar Pujara picked up a huge blow to his elbow during the practice session. Luckily, India’s dependable No.3 survived a massive injury scare, in what could have been a serious injury blow.
The right-handed batsman received a nasty blow on the elbow in the nets session. Moments later, he returned to the nets to resume his training. His return gave the fans a sigh of relief.
India are already without the services of team captain Virat Kohli. Kohli’s absence has indeed left a void in Team India’s batting department. India needs someone to score big knocks.
However, players like Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, and Shubman Gill will be looking forward to making their presence count on the pitch. India’s No.3 batsman Pujara has not been in good form now.
Pujara’s downfall
Cheteshwar Pujara, who is the rock of Team India’s batting line-up hasn’t lived up to his reputation in the Border Gavaskar Trophy series so far. He hasn’t scored a single fifty although he has been trying his best to stay at the crease for a long time.
Pujara looked pretty decent in the pink-ball affair in Adelaide Oval. He scored 43 runs off 160 balls including 2 fours but failed to go beyond that score. He had another chance to score a big knock but was dismissed for a duck.
As far as the Boxing Day Test is concerned, the No.3 batsman once again failed to raise the bar. He scored just 17 runs in the first innings and was dismissed on 3 in the second innings. Pujara would be looking forward to starting the new year on a good note when he will take guard at the crease on January 7.
