IND vs AUS: Cheteshwar Pujara called for Border-Gavaskar Trophy

As India prepares for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, former cricketer Robin Uthappa has opened up about Cheteshwar Pujara's exclusion from the squad. Robin Uthappa said that Cheteshwar Pujara would have been included in the Indian national cricket team in a must-win Test series in Australia.

India has faced intense scrutiny following their 3-0 loss to New Zealand in the recently concluded series at home. Team India will now focus on the upcoming challenging series in Australia. India's batters' technique and temperament will be tested on difficult tracks by Australia’s world-class bowling attack.

There Is Still A Place For Cheteshwar Pujara - Robin Uthappa

India will be without Cheteshwar Pujara during the five-match Test series against Australia. The right-handed batter was a key player in India's series wins in the 2018-19 and 2020-21 BGT series. Robin Uthappa reacted to Pujara's absence in the squad for their final series of the WTC 2023-25 cycle.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Robin Uthappa said Pujara still has a crucial role to play in the Indian team. He argued that Pujara, who has shown batting form in the Ranji Trophy, should be included in the squad.

"There is still a place for a player like Cheteshwar Pujara. According to me, a place for him will have to be made in this team as soon as possible. It's a need,” Uthappa said.

We Have Mostly Aggressive Batters From No. 1 to 6 - Robin Uthappa

Robin Uthappa emphasized that Shubman Gill has some technical aspects of his game and doesn’t fit the role of number three batter. Uthappa noted that India's lineup is full of aggressive batters and added that they need a player like Pujara, who can anchor the innings and allow others to bat around him.

"We have mostly aggressive batters from No. 1 to No. 6. We need someone like Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahul Dravid, Kane Williamson and Will Young. We always need someone who can become an anchor and hold one end up and all the other batters can bat around him,” Uthappa added.

Cheteshwar Pujara Was India's Mainstay Number Three Batter

Virat Kohli has been going through a rough patch in Test cricket this year. The former Indian skipper has scored only one half-century in his 10 innings across two Tests against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand. Captain Rohit Sharma also smashed just one half-century across the same two series.

Pujara was a key figure at number three for India for more than a decade. However, he was dropped after the 2023 ICC World Test Championship final. Pujara was instrumental in India's 2018-19 Test series win in Australia, where he scored 521 runs at an impressive average of 74.43 including three centuries.

The first Test of the five-match series between India and Australia will be played at the Perth Stadium in Perth, starting on November 22, Friday.

Also read: Shreyas Iyer smashes career-best double century after being snubbed for Border Gavaskar Trophy