Cheteshwar Pujara scored a brilliant century on his comeback to the Indian cricket team as they won the third and final Test in Sri Lanka to win in the country after 22 years.
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Cheteshwar Pujara is currently dividing opinion in the Indian cricket team for his lack of big scores. The Saurashtra batsman has spent a lot of time in the crease but he has not scored a century for the last two years. Ever since 2020, Pujara has struggled to match his exploits of the 2018/19 season in which he helped India to a series win in Australia. But, a lean patch is nothing new for Cheteshwar Pujara.
During the 2014/15 season, Pujara was having another bad patch in Test cricket. In the tours to New Zealand, England and Australia, Pujara had scored just two fifties and had an average of 24. The loss of form meant that for the first time, Pujara was left out of the Indian team for the tour of Sri Lanka. This was the first series under the full-time Test captaincy of Virat Kohli. In the 2015 series, India lost the first Test in Galle thanks to an inspired spell from Rangana Herath.
But, in the second Test, India staged a rousing comeback to level the series 1-1. Heading into the final Test, the match was evenly poised. But, India needed the buffer of an extra batsman. In came Cheteshwar Pujara and he changed the complexion of the match.
Sri Lanka chose to bowl and they immediately struck. KL Rahul was bowled by Dhammika Prasad for 2 while Ajinkya Rahane was trapped LBW for 8. Virat Kohli and Pujara tried to steady the innings with a solid partnership that almost touched fifty. But, Angelo Mathews dismissed skipper Virat Kohli for 18. Rohit Sharma looked in great touch with the bat and his aggressive 55-run stand with Pujara got India back on track.
But, just as India were starting to rebuild, they lost wickets again. Rohit fell to Prasad for 26 and Stuart Binny fell for a golden duck. All this while, Pujara was holding fort in his usual way but he was pushing the scoring rate along. When Naman Ojha and Ravichandran Ashwin fell, India seemed to be crumbling to a total of under 200.
But, Pujara found a great ally in Amit Mishra, and the duo put on a partnership that changed the match and frustrated Sri Lanka. Mishra, in 2011 against England, had shown good defense and attack and he used that once again to his advantage. Pujara notched up a brilliant century on his comeback. Mishra went past fifty and the partnership also went past 100. But, India was bowled out for 312 with Pujara carrying his bat.
Sri Lanka, in response, totally fell apart due to the sustained pressure of the Indian bowling. The hosts were reeling at 47/6. But, Kusal Perera and Rangana Herath shared a solid partnership and rescued Sri Lanka from embarrassment. They shared a 79-run stand and the partnerships with the tail boosted Sri Lanka to 201. Armed with a 111-run lead, India looked to pounce on the advantage.
But, the pendulum of fortune did not help Pujara this time. He fell for a two-ball duck in the second innings and India were reduced to 7/3. But, Kohli and Rohit came together and revived the innings with a vital 57-run stand. But, Kohli fell cheaply for 21, but Rohit found good support in Stuart Binny. Rohit reached his fifty but he fell immediately. Binny missed out on his fifty but Naman Ojha, Amit Mishra and Ravichandran Ashwin all made vital contributions. Ashwin notched up a fifty, but numbers five to nine notched up 231 runs in total to help India finish on 274.
Chasing 386, Sri Lanka disastrously by losing Upul Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne for 0. Reeling at 107/5, Sri Lanka were seemingly out of the contest. But, Angelo Mathews hit 110 and shared a partnership of 135 which made India nervous. Kusal Perera hit 70 while Mathews notched up a superb century.
But, Ashwin took four wickets and India won the match by 117 runs to take the three-match series 2-1. It was the first time that India had won a series in Sri Lanka after 22 years. India had secured an overseas win for the first time since 2011 when they won a three-match series 1-0 in the West Indies.
Speaking after getting the Man of the Match award, Pujara said, “It was a very good opportunity for me, we were 1-1 and we won the series now. Facing the new ball was challenging, it was an opportunity as well. My preparation was good, and my experience in International cricket has helped.”
Pujara went on to become one of the most dependable batsmen at No.3. In a time when people are calling for his omission, it is a good time to revisit the value that he brings to the team.
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