R Aswhin is one of the next generation of Indian cricketers to keep an eye on, writes Muttaih Muralitharan writes in The Times Of India. “I had the pleasure of playing alongside him for three seasons at Chennai Super Kings and took him under my wing. Ashwin is a keen learner, loves being involved with the game, and importantly, he loves cricket. He is a great bowler and has learnt the hard way. When I first saw him, he was bowling only offspin and now he has learnt another delivery. He knew he had to spin it both ways and he has done that. He has to improve a bit and learn to bowl on difficult wickets like those in Australia and England. He is very good in subcontinental conditions but I think he will evolve more with experience and will learn how to bowl in conditions found in Australia and England,” writes Murali.
Meanwhile a Hindustan Times report says that it was indeed a proud moment for the men who played an important role in shaping his career. “He's been with me from the time he was 19, he made his first-class debut under me. It's his best innings and I have seen all his innings, including the two double and the triple hundreds he scored in first-class cricket,” said Saurashtra coach Debu Mitra.
“It was a different ball game against the England bowlers, especially Graeme Swann.” “The off-spinner troubled all and Pujara played him the best. He did not sit back and made it a point to go down the pitch to meet it, either fully forward or backward,” observed Mitra, adding, “He will go for his shots whether he's in the 90s or the 20s. Pujara always tries to play the ball on merit and that is what he did today,” said the coach.
Ravi Shastri in his column in TOI writes that When Virender Sehwag takes centrestage, nobody else matters and that he never works in someone else’s shadow. “If anything, it is others who are blinded by his dazzle. And so it was at Motera when the return of Gautam Gambhir and quietcraftsmanship of Cheteshwar Pujara almost went unnoticed,” writes Shastri, adding that before long, though, Pujara had found a radiance of his
own.
“His batting can appear old-fashioned, though never in a dour and boring way. His canvas is large and he takes his own time to give it all the hue and colour it needs. He ponders over the minutest of details and is never rushed for personal glory. If he had to sleep over his pending hundred on Thursday, he did so. He was still at work on Friday when Dhoni called time on the innings. A hungry, skillful, patient and physically resourceful young talent has emerged on the Indian scene. If Pujara has to be blamed, it’s for not allowing the longing for Dravid to take hold of our hearts. The transition has been almost seamless. The big void we all feared seems pointless,” adds Shastri.