SA vs Ind, 3rd Test: Wanderers wicket difficult to bat, says Cheteshwar Pujara

Agencies
January 25, 2018

Johannesburg, Jan 25: India were in a good position despite being bowled out for 187, Cheteshwar Pujara said after the first day of the third and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Wednesday.

In reply, South Africa were six for one at the close. "It is one of the toughest pitches I have batted on," said Pujara, who battled for 261 minutes and faced 179 balls in making 50.

"The total we have is as good as scoring 300 on any (other) wicket." Indian captain Virat Kohli, who took the bold decision to bat first in overcast conditions on a well-grassed pitch, made 54 in contrasting style to Pujara, dominating a third wicket stand of 84 with his teammate.

He struck nine boundaries in a 106-ball innings. Pujara admitted that he was unable to match Kohli's fluency.  "I don't think any other batsman could bat like that. He's in form having made a hundred in the last game and he was timing the ball really well." he said. He also backed Kohli's decision to bat first.

"If our bowlers bowl well we have a very good chance," he said. "This wicket will be very difficult to bat on. The cracks are opening up and a couple of balls are deviating a lot. As the game progresses, we will see uneven bounce so that's the reason we batted first."

It took Pujara 54 balls to score his first run on Wednesday. "You need to take your time, you need to get used to the bounce, get used to the lateral movement," he said. "It was difficult for me earlier on."

South Africa picked a five-pronged pace attack, bringing in all-rounder Andile Phehlukwayo for left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj, and the Indian batsmen were under pressure all day on a pitch which offered pace and sideways movement.

Phehlukwayo justified his selection by taking two for 25, including producing the ball that ended Pujara's dismissal. It seemed Pujara intended to leave a ball which seamed in just enough to catch the edge of his bat and present wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock with one of his five catches.

Phehlukwayo acknowledged that it was a good pitch to bowl on and agreed with Pujara that cracks were opening up.       

Goosebumps

"One ball really deviated and it will go up and down. It is already going up and down from a length," he said.

But Phehlukwayo said he expected the South African batsmen to take a positive attitude.

"You have to look to score and get into good positions otherwise there is a ball that has your name on it on that type of wicket. They have a decent enough total but it's not really par. I think we bowled really well."

All five bowlers took wickets. Kagiso Rabada took three for 39, while Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Phehlukwayo took two apiece. Lungi Ngidi only took one wicket but it was the key one of Kohli, who was caught at third slip by AB de Villiers.

Philander, playing in his 50th Test, took the first wicket when he had Lokesh Rahul caught behind. He bowled a remarkable first spell of one for one in eight overs.

"Vernon showed his class," said Phehlukwayo. "When I watch him bowl I get goosebumps at times to imagine how consistent a guy can be, (bowling) on a length and moving the ball both ways."

Two dropped catches and a wicket overturned because of a no-ball hampered South Africa. Kohli was the beneficiary of both dropped catches. He was put down when he had 11 by Philander off Rabada and on 32 by De Villiers at third slip off Morkel.

De Villiers made amends when he held a sharp chance off Lungi Ngidi to end Kohli's innings - but South Africa's star batsman did not field after tea while receiving ice treatment on a bruised right middle finger suffered when he held the catch.

Philander was denied a wicket when Ajinkya Rahane, on three, edged him to De Kock, only to get a reprieve when replays showed he had over-stepped the bowling crease.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 19,2020

Karachi, May 19: Babar Azam wants to take a leaf out of Imran Khan's aggressive captaincy and besides cricket, he is also brushing up his English to become a "complete leader" like the World Cup-winning all-rounder.

Last week, the star batsman took over the reins of Pakistan's white-ball cricket after being appointed as the ODI skipper.

Azam, who was one of the world's leading batsmen across formats last year and already the T20 skipper, replaced wicket-keeper batsman Sarfaraz Ahmed as the ODI captain for the 2020-21 season.

"Imran Khan was a very aggressive captain and I want to be like him. It is not an easy job captaining the Pakistan team but I am learning from my seniors and I have also had captaincy experience since my under-19 days," Azam said.

He said that to be a complete captain one must be able to interact comfortably with the media and express oneself properly in front of an audience.

"These days I am also taking English classes besides focussing on my batting," he said on Monday.

The 25-year-old Babar said he was not satisfied with Pakistan's current standing in international cricket.

"I am not happy with where we stand and I want to see this team go up in the rankings."

Babar said captaincy would be a challenge for him but it would not affect his batting.

"It is an honour to lead one's national team so it is not a burden for me at all. In fact, after becoming captain, I have to lead by example and be more responsible in my batting."

Babar hoped the T20 World Cup is held this year in Australia as he wanted to lead his team in the ICC event.

"It would be a disappointment if the event was not held or rescheduled because I am looking forward to playing in the World Cup and doing well in it," he said.

About plans for Pakistan to fly to England in July to play three Tests and three T20 internationals amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Babar said a lot of hard work and planning would be required to make the players feel comfortable and safe.

"Touring England won't be easy. Health and safety of players is of great importance and the tour will only be possible when proper arrangements are in place," he said.

"Both England and Pakistan team fans, along with the cricketers, are missing cricket because of the pandemic."

"We will still try to perform to the best of our ability despite no support from the fans in the stadium," he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
March 7,2020

Melbourne, Mar 7: He will be supporting Australia for sure but former pacer Brett Lee feels an Indian victory in Sunday's T20 Word Cup final could be a "start of a major breakthrough" for the women's game in the cricket-mad country.

India and Australia will lock horns in what is expected to be a blockbuster title clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

"As an Australian, I'd love nothing more than for (Meg) Lanning's team to do the job. But if India were to win the World Cup for the first time, victory would do so much for women's cricket in a country that already adores the sport," Lee wrote in an ICC column.

"This could be the start of a major breakthrough, particularly with the amount of talent that is coming through."

The former speedster said Australia will have to look for ways to counter the in-form 16-year-old Shafali Verma.

"In Shafali Verma, India boast one of the most talented players in the world and you feel that for Australia to win the game, dismissing her will likely be their first job.

"I've been so impressed with the opener - it's staggering to believe she's only 16 with the confidence she has in her own ability and the way she strikes the ball so cleanly.

"She's such good fun to watch and I'm not sure the women's game has seen anyone like her for such a long time."

Shafali has been the star of the tournament, having amassed 161 runs at a strike rate of 161, consistently providing India solid starts, and that was not lost on Lee.

"To be the world's best T20 batter already shows just how far she has progressed in such a short space of time and the experience in this tournament will hold her in good stead for years to come.

"Even with the way she's played in Australia and her fearless brand of cricket, you still get the feeling she has more to come as well."

He reckoned Shafali may have another big score awaiting her.

"She's got a big score in her locker and there's probably no better place to do that than the MCG. Shafali is already a record breaker but if she can steer her side to their first Women's T20 World Cup title at just 16, then the sky really is the limit for her career."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 27,2020

New Delhi, Mar 27: India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday made a heartfelt appeal to the citizens of the country, asking them to follow social distancing as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.
He also went on to say that over the past few days, he has seen some people still taking to the streets, and added that if people still continue to venture out, then they are not being honest with the country.
Kohli released a small video clip on Twitter, making the public appeal and captioned the post as: "Please wake up to the reality and seriousness of the situation and take responsibility. The nation needs our support and honesty"
"Today, I am talking to you as a citizen of the country. Whatever I have seen over the past few days, I have seen people not following the lockdown, it has made me feel that some people are taking the battle against COVID-19 very lightly. I request you all to please follow social distancing, whatever the government is asking you to do, please follow it," Kohli said in the video released on Twitter.
"Think about what can happen to your family members because of your negligence. Our medical experts are fighting this battle day in and day out. If you are still going out to the streets, then I don't think you are being honest to your country," he added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to impose a 21-day lockdown in the country as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases have risen to 724 in India (including 640 active cases, 66 cured or discharged people) and 17 deaths.
The World Health Organisation had termed the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.