New Delhi: After Rahul Dravid called it a day, the responsibility to bat at No 3 was handed over to Cheteshwar Pujara has done a decent job with the bat in hand for India after he made his debut for the country. Let’s not make a mistake about the fact that those are big shoes to fill and looking at that Pujara has just about done himself a world of good by fitting into that all important No 3 position.
Pujara comes across as a guy who has had a very successful domestic stint and has scored a lot of runs before getting selected for the national side which ofcourse held him in good stead going ahead playing at the highest level.
The domestic season has just about started in India with the Challenger Trophy and West Indies 'A' touring India which might give players like Pujara the required match practice before the international calendar kicks off. India has a pretty busy international calendar with a lot of overseas tours in the next one year and Test cricket should be of top priority as the tour South Africa, New Zealand and England are on the cards.
Pujara seems to be in good touch against West Indies 'A' where he went on to score his third triple century and did not look in any kind of trouble what so ever although it is not a top class West Indian attack. Credit needs to be given where it is due as the runs still need to scored and scoring a triple century in any format is not an easy task, no matter how good or bad the attack is on that given day.
Pujara notched up an unbeaten 306 in a masterly exhibition of batsmanship. The skipper played some delightful shots all around the wicket as he picked up 33 boundaries while adding 177 runs to his overnight score.
He reached his triple hundred with a cover drive boundary off left-hand medium fast bowler Delorn Johnson after facing 410 balls.
Since November 2012, Pujara has registered three double hundreds and two triple hundreds in first-class cricket with scores of 206 not out against England, 203 not out against Madhya Pradesh, 204 against Australia, besides 352 against Karnataka and 306 not out against West Indies A.
This goes to show Pujara's long strides and his temperament as he has a knack of playing big knocks and does not throw his wicket away after scoring a century. His triple century is just about the perfect start to the season as it will give him enough confidence to carry his bat in the long awaiting international calendar.