Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri slams Pujara who failed to make an impact in the ongoing WTC 2023 final game against Australia in London. The World Test Championship 2023 final is scheduled for June 7 to 11 in Kennington Oval, London between India and Australia.
Ravi Shastri slams Pujara
Overcast conditions and a hint of green on the wicket persuaded India to bowl first after winning the toss, and the strategy seemed sensible given the selection of a fourth fast bowler instead of the world’s top-ranked Test bowler – spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
With Australia 76/3 at one stage it looked as if India’s selection could be the right one. But an unbroken 251-run stand between Head and Smith helped Australia to 469 at the close, leaving India on the back foot in the game.
Earlier, Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey backs Indian bowlers after an unimpressive first day in WTC 2023 final and explained the reason for the exclusion of Ashwin from the playing 11.
While on the other hand, the Australian bowling attack came out strong, reducing India to 151-5 by stumps on day two. Pat Cummins drew first blood by removing Rohit Sharma, while Scott Boland and Cameron Green showcased their skills to dismiss Shubman Gill and Chiteshwar Pujara, respectively.
The left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc generated extra bounce to dismiss Virat Kohli for 14 runs while Lyon dismissed Jadeja for 48 runs. At the end of Day 2, India scored 151 runs for 5 wickets loss.
Right after the unimpressive inning from the Indian team in the WTC 2023 Final, a rumour regarding BALL TAMPERING went viral on social media.
However, Cheteshwar Pujara(14) not only failed to score big runs but also gifted his wicket by leaving Cameron Green’s delivery, which rattled his stumps in the first innings on Day 2. Young opening batter Shubman Gill, who had set the stage on fire during the recently concluded Indian Premier League, was also dismissed in a similar fashion by Scott Boland.
Comparing both dismissals, Shastri tore into Pujara for leaving the ball, adding that Gill was ‘lazy’ but will improve with time and experience.
“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 disappointed 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 Shastri said on-air.
Shastri further slammed Pujara for leaving his off-stump exposed, calling it “an error in judgment”.
“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 the middle stump when it’s actually going towards the 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,” he added.
Before the Day 3 lunch break, India scored 260 runs for 6 wickets loss where Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur stood firm with scored 89 and 36 runs respectively.
