Former batting wall, Cheteshwar Pujara reckoned India needs to seriously reconsider preparing pitches where Test matches in India are getting over on Day 3, and in turn back their spin bowlers who are skilled enough to operate even on flat pitches, and don’t need to rely on luck. “A pitch slightly better than a rank turner,” is Pujara’s prescription, as India collapsed to another home Test loss against South Africa, after losing 0-3 to New Zealand earlier this year.
He also stressed a perfect pitch ought to test temperament and technique and not luck, like on turners.
Coach Gautam Gambhir stated post the defeat the pitch was exactly what the team had desired, and expected Indian batsmen to know “how to play turn.” But Pujara stated the choice of these rank turner pitches might be a terrible idea, because a lot is left to luck.
“Luck plays a major part when you are playing on a rank turner,” Pujara warned. “What India needs to do is start playing on a slightly better pitch. I’m not saying that you don’t play on a turning track. You always did that, support for the bowlers that they are getting some assistance from the pitch. But it has to be a pitch where you should be able, if you are playing well, if you’re working hard, if you are reacting well, you should be able to score 100,” Pujara added.
The former No 3 who has put in quite a few saviour turns for India with his dogged batting, said a good pitch is one that rewards skill and hard work. “You need to play on a pitch where you have a chance. You are giving yourself the best chance. If you are skilful, your skill should come out.”
Pujara said there’s been a conscious change since the pandemic to offer the home team excessively unpredictable pitches, which South Africa pace ace described as having demons. “One ball hits keeper’s shoulder, next keeps low and you are out lbw.” Steyn said. However Pujara has noticed a discernible change since 2020, where matches are getting wrapped up on Day 3.
“When you start playing on rank turners, which India has done since 2020, a majority of the games, I would say 70 or 80% of the games have been played on a pitch where the result has been in three days, within the three days of five day match,” Pujara noted.
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The Saurashtra legend stated it needs to change urgently where the pitch follows a Test cadence. “It’s important that India plays on a pitch where the results are on Day Four, Day Five, which is slightly better pitch to bat on in the first innings. And as you get into the second innings, the ball starts turning a bit more, it becomes very challenging.”
Increasingly, the first innings end up being savage in their tiny totals. “If there is a low score in the second innings, I don’t mind, but the first innings score should be on the slightly higher side, even if it’s something close to 300, 350, that is still acceptable. But if 200 or 150 is a very good total, then I think that’s the pitch where you don’t normally (do well.),” he said.
Shaun Pollock in commentary, and SA batting coach Ashwell Prince had predicted as far back as Day 1 that the Test could get over on Day 3, and Pujara said the quality of wickets is proving counterproductive to bowlers. “As a bowler, if you just keep bowling well, if you just keep bowling in one area, you are still going to get a wicket. Indian bowlers are so skilful that even if they play on a flat pitch, they will still be able to turn the ball, they will still be able to pick wickets. So, back your skills rather than just relying on the pitch,” Pujara said categorically.
Indian batsmen lacked patience in defending
When batting, with Indian collapses in both innings, Pujara said Temba Bavuma offered a template, but the Indian batsmen needed better application and patience against spinners. “You need to have a good defence. When you are defending, you need to defend in front of the pad. Most of the dismissals have been LBW or bowled. So when you are defending against spinners, you need to ensure that your bat is in front of the pad. So if you’re defending well, what you’re doing is you are facing the best of a bowler, and you’re disappointing the bowler and the delivery is being defended well,” he said of the bedrock of defense needed before attacking.
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Bavuma played to his strengths to unsettled bowlers after defending, Pujara said. “Now, yes, in any form of cricket, you need to score runs, you need to find a way to score runs, but if you are facing the best delivery, and if you are very confident in your defence, then later comes your attack. So, Temba played his sweep shot, which is his strength, but each and every batter has his own strength. When I was facing spin, I always used to use my feet, unsettle the spinner’s length. So each and every batter has their own strength, and one needs to find out what are the ways one can unsettle the bowler. So it can be a sweep shot, it can be going over the top of mid-on, mid-off. It can be just stepping out and playing down the ground, try and rotate the strike, try and build the partnership,” Pujara suggested of ways to counter spin.
This display called for introspection. “But those are the areas where the batting unit needs to have a chat, because after a loss, the important part is, you need to accept the mistake that this is the thing which went wrong. But how can we rectify this mistake? How can we get better in the next Test match? And that is something which needs to be discussed, and try and find a way, because each and every batter has their own strength, you need to back your strength, but at the same time, the most important part which Temba Bavuma showed everyone is, you defend well, and then try and play your natural game, try and play your shots,” Pujara reiterated.
