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A community for cricket lovers - Inspired by the
legends of Indian cricket.
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Cheteshwar Pujara : Consistency is what defines you, talent alone isn't enough
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One wonders as to
why test matches are
called so? It is
ultimately a game of
cricket being played
in succession over a
course of 5 days at
a stretch. Then why
call this 5 day
cricket "test"
match. Well, as they
say, the answer
often lies in
details. Given that
this format of
cricket is anything
but faceted by
continuous
exhilaration, and is
considered long and
tagged as tiring, it
is understood that
without some sweat,
constant search for
brilliance and a
battle for supremacy
between contesting
sides that goes on
unabashedly for 5
days, this is indeed
a test of nerves,
hence collecting
that name.
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Therefore, one
understands that
without having the
ability to stick
around for long in
this version of the
thrilling sport, the
chances of
succeeding in either
departments of the
game, be it bowling
or batting are
rather, minuscule.
Some batsmen have
defied logic by the
sheer magnitude of
their concentration.
When we talk on
these lines, almost
instantly, we get
reminded of the long
innings played with
certain fervour
involving rigor and
excellence by giants
like Gundappa
Vishwanath, Sunil
Gavaskar, Sachin
Tendulkar and
importantly, a man
we loved to address
as the Wall: Rahul
Dravid.
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Once Tendulkar and
Dravid retired,
India were dealt a
serious blow, as far
as test match
cricket was
concerned. Not only
were The Wall's
boots so big and
such difficult to
fill in that it
seemed almost
impossible to find
from a rather
reckless and popcorn
loving, casual and
frolicking group of
youngsters, a real
player who would
passionately stand
up to answer
(shoulder ) Team
India's batting woes
in test matches.
Then out of thin air
we heard of a
bright, somewhat
tacit and a fairly
handsome man called
Cheteshwar Pujara.
His phenomenal
outings in domestic
cricket, wherein he
effortlessly
conjured 3 triple
hundreds were enough
to catapult his name
into the everyday
lingo of BCCI and
team organization
who were desperate
to find a
replacement of
Dravid.
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Knowing well that as
a team, ours was not
a record to be too
proud of, in test
match cricket, we
would do well if we
could identify
genuine batsmen who
played the game for
the love of test
match cricket. Along
came Cheteshwar
Pujara, into the
test side, being
hailed as the new
find from Rajkot,
Gujarat, as an
obvious filler for
the mamoth void left
by Dravid's
departure at no.3
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He didn't
disappoint. He
almost instantly
scored his
willingness to play
the bowl at its
merit. He struck a
memorable 70 plus
knock versus touring
Aussies in India,
wherein he teamed
with none other than
his own icon, Dravid
himself. Following
his role model's
mantra for success,
combining luscious
timing and ability
to dig in deep when
needed most by his
team, Pujara was an
able find being a
gritty batsman who
bats with panache
and a mature head
over the shoulders.
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Until very recently,
before his poor and
unimpressive showing
with the bat, he was
doing just fine,
against the same
opponents at home,
earlier in 2013. He
collected memorable
double centuries
very early on in a
career that still
looks it began just
yesterday while he
has been playing for
3 years now.
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While lamenting him
again and again for
a poor outing in
England won't be too
correct, one cannot
simply ignore the
fact that Cheteshwar
Pujara lacked intent
and ability to
collect runs when
his team needed him
the most. Where were
the promising knocks
that were expected
of this calm
batsman? Where were
the 150 or 200 run
partnerships that we
hoped to see with
him holding on one
end?
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While it is
important that a
dismal tour happened
early on in his
career, giving him
much to think about
in terms of self
performances and for
preparation in the
times to come, one
reckons for a
reliable batsman
like Pujara- some
mind work and
reworking his
batting technique
which is regarded as
a potent strength
for his side, given
its potential to
become a pillar of
defense for his
side, wouldn't
exactly be a bad
idea. After all,
here is one lad
forever willing to
learn and be of
useful help to his
side. For some, the
game has more value
by performing for
the team's cause
than purely living
for glory under
individual records.
Cheteshwar's heart
is in the right
place. He just needs
to put the mind in
top gear to fetch
glories for team
India.
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