Dinesh Karthik cites Cheteshwar Pujara example to write off strike rate importance in Test cricket

India and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik brought forth the example of Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara to iterate that all talks relating to strike rate in the longest format are ‘absolute nonsense.’ Karthik made the comment ahead of the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) to be played between India and New Zealand at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England. Pujara is a part of the squad and is certain to start the game should he not pick up an injury. The batter’s strike rate is indeed something that can frustrate fans and cricket experts, but it is that slow, methodical pace at which he plays that has often bailed his national side out of troublesome situations.

“I feel this strike rate is absolute nonsense. If you take the number of Test matches that have gotten over in four days it is about 80-82%. So, why bother about strike rate, let the guy play at whatever strike rate he wants to play, as long as he is able to win Test matches for India,” the former KKR skipper said on Star Sports.

Pujara did not get many runs in the series against Australia but he was essential to the team’s victory as he frustrated the Aussie bowlers. This allowed the other batters to take advantage of the situation and play their natural game with a certain degree of comfort. He was also not amongst the highest run-scorers in the home series against England, but his place in the team has been cemented and he is possibly the most important Test batter of the side after skipper Virat Kohli.

“We have played on some tough conditions (in the last series at home), you can’t always put up numbers to justify how well a guy is playing. If you take that Sydney Test the number of blows that he just took,” Karthik continued.

“Pat Cummins (KKR teammate) was talking to me about that in IPL saying the difference between India drawing the Test match and losing it was one man, Cheteshwar Pujara. The amount of time that he batted, he was giving him body blows. If you had put any of the other Indian batsmen at that stage of the day, early on when there is probably a little bit of juice, they would have struggled. There was a good chance we would have capitulated on that game. For us to not cross that hurdle, to get to Brisbane unscathed, the reason was Pujara in a big way,” the former KKR skipper added.

MAMMOTH RESPONSIBILITY

Despite having a slow strike rate, which is important to a reasonable extent when it comes to Test cricket, Pujara has been a mainstay in the Indian Test side for several years now. He is arguably the most consistent batter in the side after skipper Kohli. Some might say he is even more consistent in the longest format of the game than the captain.

English conditions have always been a weakness of Indian cricketers. The Kiwis, on the other hand, thrive in them. The advantage, in terms of how the team will play with regard to the playing conditions, arguably lies with Kane Williamson’s men. With the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, who has always performed well on overseas pitches, not in the team, a lot of the responsibility to score big runs will fall on Pujara.