England vs India 2021: Brad Hogg Explains Why Cheteshwar Pujara Should Be In The Indian Team For Manchester Test

Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg feels Cheteshwar Pujara‘s defensive game has become more potent than before.

Pujara has shown some great improvements in his batting with scoring important runs for the team in the last two Test matches. He scored 61 against England in the second innings at Kennington Oval and was involved in a 153-run stand with Rohit Sharma to set a base for India to post a huge lead.

Cheteshwar Pujara getting back in form

Pujara had announced his new avatar at Headingley itself where he made 91 on the third day and showed a drastic change in his batting stance and approach towards his innings.

Chesteshwar Pujara is playing a little more aggressively: Brad Hogg

Pujara was highly criticised by experts and pundits of the game for not showing enough intent to score runs and waste balls at the crease but the Saurashtra player looks like he has found his rhythm back and will be crucial for the team in the final Test in Manchester.

Brad Hogg noticed that the change of footwork in the batsman’s stance has made the bowling difficult against Pujara.

“Pujara, you need him in the team. But he’s playing a little more aggressively as well and with that aggressiveness, his defensive game has become more potent, more positive. The footwork has created in him being in a better position and harder for England to bowl to him. Pujara’s authority and attacking nature has worked well,” Hogg said on his YouTube channel.

Pujara has scored 227 runs in the series so far at an average of 32.43 but it’s been more than two years since he brought his last Test century in 2019 against Australia and in the final Test he could aim for the same.

India are currently leading the five-match Test series 2-1 and they will vie to win their first series in England since they last won in 2007 under Rahul Dravid’s captaincy. The final Test starts on September 10 at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Also Read: India vs England 2021: India’s Seam Attack Is Exceptional, England Need To Be More Ruthless With The Bat – Nasser Hussain Assesses Both Sides Ahead Of Fifth Test