Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri criticized Cheteshwar Pujara for poor shot selection and getting dismissed in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia at The Oval. Shubman Gill was doing well when he came to bat, but he lost his wicket early after misjudging the ball and handing it to Scott Boland. Pujara made the same error again later in the innings when he misread the ball and conceded his wicket to Cameron Green for just 14 runs. Shastri said Shubman Gill is young and will learn, but it is disappointing to watch Pujara misjudge the ball.
“That is leaving it poorly because the front foot has just gone across. It should be going towards the ball; he was looking to play it and then decided whether he should leave it. You see, the way he is leaving it, the off-stump is exposed. The front foot is still middle stump when it’s actually going towards off stump. Watch that front foot. It should be further across and towards the ball. He thought it was outside the off stump. It was an error in judgment,” Shastri said on air.
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The fact that Pujara had amassed a tonne of runs on this same ground over the previous two years while representing Surrey in the County Championship was even more depressing to witness. In reality, Pujara was chosen because of his expertise playing for Surrey even last year when India played the fifth Test of the rescheduled 2021 series against England at Edgbaston. He had disappointed there as well, and now he was back at The Oval.
“We talk about leaving the ball in England and we always talk about knowing where your off stump is. This is not knowing where your off stump is. See, Shubman Gill being a little lazy with his footwork. He will learn; he is still young, but Pujara will be very disappointing seeing that. It should have been a little further towards the ball and across the line of the ball. That’s why they keep telling you – know where your off stump is,” added the former India coach.
Australia solidified their grip on the WTC final as India’s top order fell in front of Australia’s pace attack in a pressure-filled encounter at on Thursday. Despite a valiant 71-run partnership off 100 balls between Ravindra Jadeja (48 off 51 balls) and Ajinkya Rahane (29* off 71), India were in a hazardous situation at stumps, reeling at 151 for five in response to Australia’s first innings total of 469, behind by 318 runs.
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